National Library of Wales

The National Library of Wales
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
Map
52°24′52″N 4°4′8″W / 52.41444°N 4.06889°W / 52.41444; -4.06889
LocationPenglais Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU
TypeNational Library
Established19 March 1907 (117 years ago) (19 March 1907)
Reference to legal mandateEstablished by Royal Charter on 19 March 1907. Supplemental Charters were given to the Library in 1911, 1978 and 2006
Collection
Items collectedPrinted Works, Maps, Archives, Manuscripts, Audio Visual Material, Photographs, Paintings
Size5M Books, 1M Maps, 800,000 Photographs, 50,000 Works of Art
Criteria for collectionAcquisition through purchase, bequest and legal deposit
Legal depositYes
Access and use
Access requirementsLibrary open to all. Access to reading rooms restricted to over 16s without prior permission.
Other information
Budget£9.89 million (2020–21)[1]
DirectorRhodri Llwyd Morgan
Employeesaround 230 FTE
Websitewww.library.wales Edit this at Wikidata

The National Library of Wales (Welsh: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), in Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million books and periodicals, and the largest collections of archives, portraits, maps, and photographic images in Wales. The Library is also home to the national collection of Welsh manuscripts, the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, and the most comprehensive collection of paintings and topographical prints in Wales.[2][3] As the primary research library and archive in Wales[4] and one of the largest research libraries in the United Kingdom, the National Library is a member of Research Libraries UK (RLUK)[5] and the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL).[6]

At the very core of the National Library of Wales is the mission to collect and preserve materials related to Wales and Welsh life and those which can be utilised by the people of Wales for study and research.[7] Welsh is the Library's main medium of communication, but it does aim to deliver all public services in Welsh and English.[8]

  1. ^ Cemlyn Davies (30 January 2021). "National Library of Wales: Ministers accused of 'lack of political will'". BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NLWstrategy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference NLWcdp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Brinley Jones, R. (2007). "Foreword". In Fishlock, Trevor (ed.). In this place: the National Library of Wales. Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales. p. 6. ISBN 9781862250543.
  5. ^ "About us". Research Libraries UK. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  6. ^ "List of members". Consortium of European Research Libraries. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  7. ^ "The National Library of Wales". Wales (24): 61–73. 1946.
  8. ^ Welsh Language Scheme: 2006 Archived 15 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine at NLW Official website. Retrieved 27 April 2013