The content on this page and other DCITA document archive pages is provided to assist research and may contain references to activities or policies that have no current application. See the full archive disclaimer.
Public Lending Right
by Kristen Hannah
Over 8 000 eligible book creators and publishers were paid a total of $5 220 325 under the Public Lending Right (PLR) scheme in May 1999.
Many of the recipients, whether their payments are large or small, appreciate the delivery of their annual payment in recognition that their book is being held in public lending libraries. Some well known Australian authors who are recipients of the 1998/99 payments include Bryce Courtenay, Sara Henderson, Paul Jennings, Tim Winton, Ruth Park and Morris West.
'The annual PLR payments reflects the recognition of the increasing use of Australian books in public lending libraries,' said Mr Warren Horton, Chairman of the PLR Committee, appointed by the Minister to administer the PLR Scheme in accordance with the Public Lending Right Act 1985.
Mr Horton also conveyed the Committee's appreciation of the continued support and cooperation to the public library sector which participates in the annual survey process.
PLR is a Commonwealth Government cultural program administered by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. It makes payments to eligible Australian creators and publishers in recognition that income is lost from the free multiple use of their books in public lending libraries. Australia is one of 15 countries that operate a Public Lending Right program.
Payment is determined by the number of copies of eligible books that are held in public lending libraries. This information is obtained from an annual survey of the books held in a sample of public lending libraries selected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. If 50 or more copies of an eligible book are estimated to be held in Australian public lending libraries a payment may be made.
Creators or publishers may be considered for a payment by completing an approved claim form and submitting it to the PLR Committee before 30 June. Claims from creators and publishers are invited by advertisements that appear in national daily newspapers and book industry trade journals in March each year. The commencing year for a book is the first financial year after the calendar year in which the book was first published. This allows time for new books to become established in public lending library collections. For example, the commencing year for a book published in 1999 is 2000-2001.
Separate payment rates are determined for creators and publishers. The PLR rates, as gazetted on 10 April 1999, are $1.23 per copy of each eligible book for creators and 30.75 cents per copy of each eligible book for publishers. The amount of PLR for a book is calculated by multiplying the relevant PLR rate payment by the estimated number of copies of the book as determined by the results of the annual library survey. For example, if the estimated number of copies of a book was 200, the creators' payment would be $246.00 and the publishers' payment would be $61.50.
Contact
PLR scheme on 02 6271 1650, (toll free) 1800 672 842, email: plr.mail@dcita.gov.au or visit the website www.dcita.gov.au/plr.html