National Library of Wales (Image: Welsh Government)
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More than £3 million has been invested in upgrading the National Library of Wales, with improvements spanning preservation, public spaces, digital access and the journey towards net zero by 2030.
Protecting the nation’s collections
The biggest portion of the funding – nearly £1.5 million – has gone towards improving the bookstacks where nationally significant collections are stored. The upgrades are designed to ensure the long-term preservation of millions of historic items that tell the story of Wales.
A more welcoming experience
Over £500,000 has been spent transforming the Library’s public spaces, including a more welcoming entrance, new exhibition areas and a refreshed children’s play area to make the venue more inclusive and family-friendly.
A further £421,000 has gone towards modernising digital infrastructure, strengthening cyber security and launching a new Data Foundry – bringing Welsh heritage online so it can be explored from anywhere.
The remaining £670,000 is supporting the Library’s goal of reaching net zero by 2030, through energy efficiency improvements and maximising the output of newly installed solar panels.
National Year of Reading
Alongside the investment, £55,000 has been committed to public libraries across Wales through the National Year of Reading, ensuring resources are available to every local authority’s library service and encouraging people of all ages to read for pleasure.
Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant said:
“The National Library of Wales holds the memory of our nation, millions of stories, documents and artefacts that belong to every one of us. This investment ensures those treasures are protected for generations to come, while opening the Library’s doors wider to families, communities and digital users across Wales and beyond.”
Chief Executive at the National Library of Wales, Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister to the Library and to have the opportunity to show how the funding is making a positive difference across a number of areas. We were pleased that the Minister could see the significant progress with decarbonisation and how the Library is working with local companies for the benefit of the community as a whole. We also showcased the work to develop new exhibition spaces as well as improvements to the visitor and user experience.
“At the heart of the Library’s mission is developing collections that tell the story of the people of Wales and seeing conservation work in action demonstrate the importance of collection care.”
