Access to Information Through Legal Deposit Libraries in South Africa: Some Issues of Concern

Abstract

Legal depositories in South Africa are intended to ensure that the sources of the country‟s heritage are collected, controlled bibliographically, preserved and made accessible for present and future generations. The guarantee of access to legal deposit materials depends on a number of factors affecting legal deposit libraries in South Africa. These factors include implementation of the Legal Deposit Act, other legislation affecting access to legal deposit, collection and preservation of materials and methods of accessing the materials. Access has changed as a result of opportunities for access motivated by human rights and freedom of information considerations. In a democratic South Africa, the South African Bill of Rights Act 108 of 1996 gives everyone the right of access to information placing more demands on records in whatever form and their curators. However, the range of freedom of access to information symbolic of liberation from apartheid is under threat with the draft of the current Protection of Information Bill that has been put before parliament. Technological developments are examined including how they affected operational practices and procedures associated with collecting, preserving and accessing cultural heritage, however South Africa like many other countries is hindering access to many electronic documents since online documents are not currently being collected and preserved.

Keywords: Legal Deposit, Access, Preservation, South Africa