Proactive Legal Deposit Practices at the Sarawak State Library, Malaysia

Abstract

The Sarawak State Library (SSL), established in 1999, has been designated as the official repository for all publications produced within Sarawak, a region in Malaysia. To fulfil this mandate, SSL has adopted various proactive measures to ensure publishers adhere to the regulations and meet their legal deposit obligations at both regional and national levels. This paper examines strategies designed to enhance compliance among authors and publishers and improve coordination with the National Library of Malaysia. It also addresses the challenges associated with dual mandates. Statistical data on SSL’s initiatives highlight the effectiveness of these efforts, while recommendations for future improvements are also proposed to strengthen the library's role further. Note about the authors: Jassalini Jamain is the Librarian and Head of the Legal Deposit Unit at Sarawak State Library, specializing in legal deposit. With 15 years of experience, she has been instrumental in enhancing legal deposit practices to safeguard Sarawak’s intellectual heritage. Jassalini holds a degree in Information Studies (2003) and a Master of Information Management (2021) from the University of Technology MARA (UiTM). She has led key projects such as Web Archiving, Legal Deposit Management System, and Online Sarawak State Bibliography. Passionate about preserving Sarawak’s publications, she collaborates closely with authors and publishers to ensure the region’s literary legacy is maintained. Rashidah Hj Bolhassan, Ph.D Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Malaysia Dayangku Horiah Awang Gani Archive Management Division, Sarawak State Library, Kuching, Malaysia Shafinaz Afidia Andrew Affendy Sarawakiana Division, Sarawak State Library, Kuching, Malaysi