MetaMusic and BAnQ launch the Digital Legal Deposit for Music in Quebec

Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and MétaMusique are pleased to announce an agreement to simplify the digital legal deposit process for producers of musical sound recordings. In effect since 2022, the legal deposit of digital publications also applies to digital sound recordings. It is now mandatory, just as it already was for analog sound recordings (CDs or vinyl). This new agreement creates a lasting bridge between the music industry and the essential institution that is BAnQ by integrating Quebec’s digital music production into the Quebec documentary heritage it preserves.

Under this agreement, you now simply need to submit your digital sound recording files to MétaMusique, which will then forward them to BAnQ. You can also generate the legal deposit form for your physical sound recordings on the MétaMusique website. These two mandatory declarations are in addition to the repertoire declarations to SOPROQ and Artisti, which can already be made through MétaMusique. BAnQ will thus have access to high-quality data, while Quebec record labels and music producers will be able to simplify their administrative procedures.

How to submit a legal deposit via the BAnQ portal

Step 1

To make your legal deposit directly on the MétaMusique website, you must have previously created a publisher/producer file with BAnQ, which allowed you to obtain an 8-digit client number. 

–> If you have previously made a legal deposit with BAnQ, you should already have a publisher/producer file. (This is the identifier used to log in to your business account with BAnQ and which BAnQ uses to send acknowledgments of receipt). 

–> If you do not yet have a publisher/producer account, you can create one by completing the registration form on the BAnQ website. You will receive your client number within 2 business days.

Step 2

Add your BAnQ client number to the producer or record label role in your organization’s profile on the MétaMusique website. If you hold both roles, the client number will be automatically associated with each role.

Step 3

Complete the documentation of your works, sound recordings, publications and products in MetaMusic by following the steps-by-step and detailed tutorials.

Step 4

When the submissions are complete, the Submit button associated with the submission will be active. Click this button to start the submission process:

–> For the digital legal deposit: if a digital product is associated with the release, a modal window will open allowing you to add your music files, album artwork, and booklets (if applicable) to complete your legal deposit. A confirmation will then be displayed in the release’s details, and you will also receive a deposit certificate from MétaMusique.

–> For the physical legal deposit: if one or more physical products are associated with your release, you can download a pre-filled form with the information already documented in MétaMusique. Verify the information and update your contact details if necessary. Once completed, print the form and include two copies of each physical product for mailing or deposit at the National Library (Rosemont site), at the following address:

Section du dépôt légal Direction du dépôt légal et des acquisitions
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Bibliothèque nationale (site Rosemont)
2275, rue Holt
Montréal (Québec)
H2G 3H1

Please see the steps in the tutorial below:

What happens to your music files after they are uploaded??

Music files added to MetaMusic are temporarily stored on a secure server and sent to BAnQ weekly. Once the transmission is complete, the files are not retained by MetaMusic. The sound recording files received by BAnQ are stored in a digital repository, ensuring their permanent preservation.

Over the next few years, BAnQ will undertake work that will make sound recordings available for consultation on BAnQ premises, on secure computer workstations, without the possibility of downloading, via the BAnQ numérique platform. Once the associated copyright expires, they will become freely accessible remotely.

• If you would like them to be freely accessible within a shorter timeframe, you can indicate this by completing the authorization license form available on the BAnQ website. 
• If you wish to have no access restrictions applied to the recordings you deposit, you can complete the following authorization license form and send it to BAnQ.