Libraries- The National Library of Wales- Aberystwyth.
I visited The National Library of Wales as part of a mini trip whilst I was at library school last month. It is very grand and posh outside and also contains a large hill to walk up. I found that Aberystwyth was one massive hill but that is for another time.
A bit about the library from their website;
'Though there was talk of a national library for Wales in the 18th century, it was only in 1873 that a serious campaign started. A committee was set up to collect Welsh material and house it at the University College in Aberystwyth.
Leading Welsh people and Members of Parliament worked hard to establish a National Library and a National Museum. In 1905 the government promised money in its Budget, and the Privy Council appointed a committee to decide on the location of the two institutions. Aberystwyth was selected as the location of the Library partly because a collection was already available in the College. Sir John Williams, physician and book collector, had also said he would present his collection to the Library if it were established in Aberystwyth. Cardiff was selected as the location of the National Museum.
Both the Library and Museum were established by Royal Charter on the same day, 19 March 1907. The building on Penglais Hill above the town of Aberystwyth was begun in 1911, and was first occupied in 1916.
Several extensions have been added since then. In 1996 a large new storage building was opened, and in recent years many changes have been made to the front part of the building to make it more open and welcoming. A new Royal Charter was granted in 2006.'
https://www.library.wales/about-nlw/about-us/about-nlw/- accessed 20th April 2019.
