Legal Deposit: The Role of Nation Status and International Organizations

Abstract

This paper is concerned with matters of depository laws for electronic publications. In this paper, I will address the fowllowing points: (a) methodology for analysis of such laws; (b) history of global legal depository laws; (c) current issues concerning electronic publications; and (d) proposals for depository legislation in Japan and elsewhere. The following findings will be presented: (1) Compiling bibliographies by each country was opposed to procedures set by international organizations. (2) National bibliographies are related to copyright protection, international exchanges of publications, and legal depository laws. (3) Presently, the object of such activities is the free exchanges of thought and knowledge amongst nations.