Legal deposit

Find out more about legal deposit, what must be deposited, how does it work and who is responsible?

Newspapers

Hardcover original newspapers are taken off the shelf
The Danish newspapers and local papers constitute a cornerstone of the Danish cultural heritage and are documentation of the Danish history of recent centuries.

Books

Employee picks up materials between compact shelves
Denmark has collected printed material through legal deposit since 1697. Books are deposited in two copies to the Royal Danish Library as part of the our preservation of Danish cultural heritage.

Computer games

Computer game screen with the text "game over"
Royal Danish Library's collection of computer games contains more than 4,000 computer games connected to Denmark. We regularly collect the games as part of the Legal Deposit Act.

Films

Cinema carpet with silhouette of trumpeters
All Danish-produced feature films, commercials, short and documentary films, as well as films that are otherwise related to Denmark, are covered by legal deposit.

Internet

Close-up of server with LEDs
Royal Danish Library handles the collection and preservation of the Danish part of the Internet as part of the Legal Deposit Act.

Music

Employee between the music collection's shelves
We have collected all commercially published music in Denmark as part of the preservation of the Danish audiovisual cultural heritage since 1997. Learn how to deposit released music on physical media.

Sheet music

Sheet music: first page of Morten Ræh's Sonata no. 3
Royal Danish Library has a large collection of sheet music consisting of Danish and foreign works, some of which have been collected via legal deposit. Find out how to deposit sheet music.

Pamphlets

Package is pulled down from archive shelf containing old booklets and pamphlets
Pamphlets, booklets and leaflets are legally deposited and included in the Royal Danish Library's pamphlet collection. The collection contains prints that deal with current internal conditions in…

Magazines

Journal table on laptop
Magazines and journals must be submitted in duplicate to the Royal Danish Library. They are part of the library's work with the collection and preservation of Danish cultural heritage.