THE National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) will, this year, be reaching out to film and music industry stakeholders to have them submit their original works for legal deposit.

Legal deposit is a legitimate requirement that ensures a comprehensive national collection of published materials.

It mandates that publishers submit copies of all categories of publications, produced in any format within Jamaica. These include books, DVDs, film and digital copies.

Addressing the NLJ’s annual legal deposit observance on Friday at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in New Kingston, National Librarian Beverley Lashley said by depositing these works, people within the creative industries help to preserve Jamaica’s evolving story.

This national collection serves as a record of the country’s published heritage and development.

Lashley said this year’s celebration is especially significant, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Legal Deposit Act.

“For 20 years Jamaicans both at home and abroad have contributed to our national heritage by depositing their creative works into the National Library of Jamaica. Because of this, the national collection has grown and provides future generations with a rich tapestry of Jamaica’s cultural evolution,” she said.

Meanwhile, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Dean-Roy Bernard, who represented portfolio ministers Olivia Grange, said the ministry is committed to supporting the creative industries.

“We are not just celebrating 20 years of the Legal Deposit Act. We are encouraging our creatives to contribute to the national collection, setting a lasting standard for future generations. It’s about safeguarding our Jamaican stories and experiences for the future, whether recorded on paper, vinyl, film, CD, or any other medium, whatever form our creations take, they are part of our collective heritage, and we must preserve them within the national collection at the NLJ, covered by the Legal Deposit Act,” he said.

The Act ensures that the wealth of creative works produced in Jamaica and their stories, told through literature, music, or film, are preserved for future generations.

“It’s not just a legal obligation, it is a gift we give to posterity and a way to ensure that our voices are never lost,” Bernard added.

This year’s legal deposit celebration was observed under the theme ‘Tomorrow’s History: A Call to Collect, Preserve, and Share Jamaica’s Evolution’.