These are deposit libraries with responsibility for the long-term preservation of Australia s published output. The survey addressed selection and acquisition of Australian physical-format digital publications, the nature of current collections, the type of bibliographic control of these collections, access arrangements, preservation practices, and storage and labelling practices. How Libraries Acquire this Material Most libraries acquire physical-format digital publications both actively and passively. However, one library collected only passively and one library only actively. Four libraries acquire physical-format digital publications under legal deposit legislation, three under a voluntary deposit agreement, and three under voluntary deposit but with no formal agreement.
All libraries also purchase publications.
All but one library acquire second copies of some physical-format digital publications. Five for access within the library, one for preservation, and one for both access and preservation. The other four libraries are currently developing a collection development policy that will cover physical-format digital publications. For all State libraries except one, this means that they will collect all the physical format publications produced in their state. Some states consider if the item is supported by existing systems, and whether it is the best format in which to acquire the information.