What is Government Publications Deposit (Legal Deposit)?

Legal Deposit is a legal requirement for Saskatchewan government agencies to deposit copies of their publications with the Legislative Library. It ensures Saskatchewan government publications are permanently preserved and available to present and future generations via the Legislative Library. This important goal cannot be achieved without the cooperation of all Saskatchewan government agencies and Crown corporations.

The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007 is a provincial statute that mandates and legally empowers the Legislative Library to require the deposit of publications of departments, boards, commissions or agencies of the Government of Saskatchewan or Crown corporations.  Section 81 of the Act sets out in detail the responsibilities of government agencies and Crown corporations and those of the Legislative Library with respect to deposit of Saskatchewan government publications. The law applies to publications in both print and electronic form.

Who Must Deposit?

Any department, board, commission or agency of the Government of Saskatchewan or Crown corporations must deposit.

Note that the onus is on the issuing agency to deposit their material, not on the Library to seek it out.

(See section 81 of the The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007 for details and official wording.)

What to Deposit

Pursuant to section 81 of The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007, every publication issued for general or limited distribution to the public by a department, board, commission, or agency of the Government of Saskatchewan or a Crown corporation must be deposited at no charge with the Legislative Library. This requirement applies to both free and priced publications, and also to those issued by the agency in collaboration with a commercial publisher. 

Please note that producing print copies for distribution to members of the press is a form of limited public distribution, and in these instances print copies must also be deposited with the Library.

Number of copies to be deposited:

• Print publications: eight complimentary copies to be deposited within 10 days of their release to the public.
• Electronic publications: one complimentary copy to be deposited within 24 hours of release on the internet.
• Publications issued in both print and electronic formats: eight complimentary print copies and one complimentary electronic copy.

For print publications that are required to be sent to the Office of the Clerk for tabling in the Legislative Assembly, the number of copies required for the tabling process includes the Library’s eight copies. The issuing agency does not need to send additional copies to the Library. However, if print publications tabled in the Legislative Assembly have an electronic equivalent, the issuing agency must deposit one complimentary copy with the Library within 24 hours of posting it on the internet.

What not to Deposit

• Internal documents not intended for general or limited public distribution (e.g., staff newsletters, manuals, etc.). 
• Electronic materials posted only on internal departmental intranets
• Forms
• Databases
• Pre-publication drafts circulated for comment in either print or electronic format
• Publications of other levels of government (federal, municipal, etc.) or private sector bodies that may be posted on departmental web sites unless those publications were commissioned by the department or agency or issued pursuant to their authority.

(See section 81 of the The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007 for details and official wording.)

When to Deposit

 The Act specifies that publications issued in print are to be deposited within 10 days of their release to the public. Electronic publications are to be deposited within 24 hours of their being posted on the internet.

(See section 81 of the The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007 for details and official wording.)

How to Deposit

        Printed Publications

          Ship to:

          Legal Deposit
          Legislative Library
          Support Services
          211-3085 Albert St.
          Regina, SK
          S4S 0B1

          Attn:  G. Abel

        Electronic Publications

          Email to: deposit@legassembly.sk.ca