Paul Davies MS has praised the important role of the National Library of Wales in preserving the nation’s heritage and bringing its collections closer to communities following a visit to the Library in Aberystwyth.
Mr Davies, the Conservative Member of the Senedd for Ceredigion Penfro, visited the National Library on Friday 18th September, where he had the opportunity to see first-hand the work taking place to collect, preserve and provide access to Wales’s rich documentary heritage.
During the visit, he met with Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, Chief Executive, and Dr Owain Rhys Roberts, Director of Collections, and learnt more about the Library’s internationally significant collections, as well as its preservation and digitisation programmes which are helping to safeguard important material and make it accessible to audiences across Wales and beyond.
The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss the National Library’s work outside Aberystwyth, including its important partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council at The Riverside in Haverfordwest.
The partnership enables collections from the National Library to be exhibited in the heart of Pembrokeshire, alongside a programme of events and educational workshops. The Riverside hosts changing thematic exhibitions as well as the permanent Pembrokeshire: Then and Now exhibition, which showcases treasures from the National Library’s collections relating to Pembrokeshire and its people.
Mr Davies welcomed the partnership as an important example of how the National Library’s collections can be made accessible to people in communities across Wales, without them necessarily having to travel to Aberystwyth.
Following the visit, Paul Davies MS said:
“The National Library of Wales is one of our most important national institutions, and it was fascinating to see first-hand the breadth of work taking place in Aberystwyth.
“The Library has an incredibly important responsibility to preserve our national story for future generations, but it is equally important that people across Wales have opportunities to access and enjoy these collections.
“That’s why I’m particularly pleased to see the strong connection between the National Library and The Riverside in Haverfordwest. It means that people in Pembrokeshire can see items and exhibitions drawn from our national collections right on their doorstep.
“The permanent Pembrokeshire: Then and Now exhibition is a great example of celebrating our county’s own history, culture and people, while the changing exhibitions, events and educational workshops help ensure there is always something new for people to discover.
“I’d like to thank everyone at the National Library for the warm welcome and for taking the time to show me around and discuss their work. I look forward to continuing to support the important links between this national institution and communities across Ceredigion Penfro.”
