Summary of results of 2009-2010 reprints survey
Background
The PCO reprinting policy provides that a reprinting programme will be established each year, in consultation with key users of legislation. These are the results of the sixth annual survey conducted by the PCO.
The survey
The 2009 Reprints Survey, which closed on Friday 31 July 2009, was provided on the PCO website and could be completed on-line, or printed and mailed or faxed. The survey was publicised in LawTalk, on the PSI Agency Noticeboard, on the PCO website, on the electronic noticeboard for New Zealand librarians (NZ-libs list), and through emails sent to people who have expressed an interest in reprints. Letters were also sent to the various heads of bench of the Judiciary.
Responses
This year, 15 responses were received, which is a great reduction in numbers compared to previous years. Last year, for example, we received 43 responses. Only 11 of those 15 respondents made suggestions for the reprints programme, the rest expressed their satisfaction with using the legislation website. The majority of responses were completed on behalf of an organisation or agency, and were submitted by solicitors and librarians. The breakdown of respondents was: 6 from government departments and local government; 3 from the Judiciary (on behalf of colleagues); and 1 from printers/publishers/booksellers.
Results
What would users like reprinted?
31 Acts and 6 Statutory Regulations were proposed for reprinting. This represents a major decrease compared to past years (in 2008, 118 Acts and 15 Statutory Regulations were requested; and in 2007, 92 Acts and 12 Statutory Regulations were requested).
Receiving 3 requests, the Crimes Act 1961 was once again the most requested title. This Act was included in the 2008-2009 programme and was reprinted as at 1 July 2009. As in previous surveys, fewer requests for reprinting Statutory Regulations were received: only 6 respondents wanted regulations reprinted and no set of regulations received more than 1 request.
Why would users like these particular titles reprinted?
The responses fell into four main categories:
- regular use by the respondents
- the number of amendments
- the significance of amendments
- usability and clarity.
Why would users like paper copies of these reprints when compiled versions are available free of charge on the New Zealand Legislation website?
An increasing number of respondents no longer require reprints in hard copy format because the legislation website provides the access to legislation that they require. The most common reasons for users requiring hard copy reprints relate to the portability of hard copies that may easily be taken to meetings and into court. Although the PDF may be printed from the website, larger pieces of legislation are easier to handle when bound. Lack of internet access in certain circumstances such as in non-court venues was also cited as reasons why hard copy is still the preferred format of reprints for some respondents.
Officialisation programme
The hardcopy reprints programme is undertaken in addition to the officialisation programme whereby the PCO's Reprints Unit checks all principal legislation in the database to ensure that it is correct and that all amendments have been incorporated accurately. All titles on the 2009-2010 reprinting programme would also, in their turn, be officialised but, by meeting the criteria to appear on the hard copy reprinting programme, they "jump the queue".
2009-2010 reprinting programme
The legislation included in the 2009-2010 reprinting programme has been selected according to the following criteria (not ranked):
- recommendations received in the 2009 reprints survey
- the number of amendments since the last reprint (if reprinted)
- the significance of any amendments since the last reprint (if reprinted)
- any significant amending legislation being drafted by PCO
- any amending legislation on the Legislation Programme
- inclusion in the list of top 200 legislation sellers for the last 12 months to 31 July 2009
- inclusion in the list of top 50 titles based on page hits in the year to date on the New Zealand Legislation website
- what is possible given a limited budget.
View the 2009-2010 reprints programme: Reprints scheduled »
