Established in Tunisia since 1977, the legal deposit of sound recordings aims at constituting a reference collection to serve for scientific research and to contribute to the preservation of Tunisian musical memory.

Until the creation of the National Sound Archive within the Centre for Arab and Mediterranean Music, the legal deposit of sound recordings was managed by the National Music Conservatory of Tunis.

The legal deposit of sound recordings is mandatory and free of charge. It applies to recorded musical works in all types of format (audio and video CD, record, audio cassette) whether released or imported in Tunisia, sold, rented or disseminated. Recordings must be deposited at the headquarters of the National Sound Archive, in the Centre for Arab and Mediterranean Music.

The reference legal texts are available at the National Sound Archive and on the CAMM website.

Any document deposited figures in the Ranine database (the content of which is regularly updated on line on the CAMM website) and in the resulting national sound recording inventory. At present there are 2200 inventoried recordings.

All relevant information can be consulted at the National Sound Archive that can also answer search requests   by telephone or mail depending on the availability of human resources.

The terms and conditions for legal deposit of sound recordings are as follows:

 Legal deposit must be made by the publisher, the manufacturer, the producer, the distributor or the importer;

 A copy of every document must be deposited  before public release.  All imported documents that have already been deposited are exempt from legal deposit if they are imported for the second time by the same importer. The latter must, however, submit a new declaration accompanied by a copy of the document for verification. This copy will be returned if it is attested that the document is identical to the one already deposited.

 The technical quality of all deposited documents must be perfect and be identical to the copies released to the public.

 Deposits must be accompanied by legal deposit declaration forms. These forms are available upon request to the National Sound Archive offices or on the CAMM website.