Sweden

We collect, preserve and provide access to almost everything published in Sweden – from manuscripts, books and newspapers to music, television programmes and pictures. The National Library (Kungliga biblioteket, KB) is a government agency under the Ministry of Education. Our collections date back more than a thousand years and are growing every day.

The Legal Deposit Act was introduced in 1661. It required all printers to deposit a copy of their materials with KB. Initially an instrument of censorship, the law was a way for the state to control its citizens. Today it helps us preserve Sweden’s cultural heritage. In the late 1900s, the law was extended to sound, videos and video games. The Electronic Legal Deposit Act was added in 2012.

Other government commissions to KB include open access to scholarly publications; national research infrastructure; official library statistics; and promoting development and collaboration within the Swedish library sector.