Legal Deposit Copy of Audio-visual Documents: A Perfect Stranger?

Abstract

In Russia, the definition of “Legal Deposit Copy” (LDC) applies not only to printed and electronic publications, but also to audio-visual documents (movies, replicable sound and video products, photographs, copies of television and radio programs); however, researchers usually focus on the printed editions. The aim of the article is to study the legal aspects and acquisition practices of the formation of LDC complex of audio-visual documents as part of the National library-information collection of documents and the Archival Collection of the Russian Federation. The author analyses the current state of Russian legislation on legal deposit system and archiving in the Russian Federation in relations to audio-visual documents and topical issues of its improvement. For the first time, the author reveals the history of using the term of “legal deposit copy” towards audio-visual documents. The practical consequences of the inclusion of State archives in the system of institutions — recipients of the LDC were the confusion of the concepts of “National library-information collection of documents” and “Archival Collection of the Russian Federation”, the rejection of the examination of the value of incoming documents and transformation of archives into media libraries. There is still no system in place of regularly informing users on the received LDC of audio-visual documents (as opposed to printed publications). Institutions-recipients, such as the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, do not provide access to LDC as part of the national library-information collection, as required by law. The author revealed the shortcomings of the existing acquisition system of institutions with the LDC of TV and radio programs and replicated audio and video products. As a result, the author concludes that audio-visual documents are still a perfect stranger in the national legal deposit system of documents.