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The National Library of Newsletter | Summer 2007 | Number 5 | ISSN 1744-6759 www.llgc.org.uk Life just got easier for researchers Fflics – Wales Screen Classics Peter Snow and Rolf drop by David Jones Web Watching

Sunshine in January The Library’s annual open day was held on Saturday 26 January. Among the variety of events organised was a book launch of Weatherman Walking, by BBC Wales’s popular weatherman, Derek Brockway. Derek, a native of Barry, was presented with a copy of a woodcut Centenary procession of the great Severn flood which happened four hundred years ago in 1607 and devastated towns and Centenary Celebrations The piper and flag-bearer were villages along the Severn estuary. then joined by two Library porters Monday 19 March 2007 was the approaching from the North and 100th anniversary of the award South Reading Rooms bearing of the Royal Charter of the icons. foundation of The National The procession was met by the Library of Wales. President of the National Library, To mark the historic occasion and Dr R. Brinley Jones CBE and the to launch the centenary exhibition, Librarian, Andrew Green. In this Place, a ceremony featuring The procession proceeded to the two of the Library’s iconic artefacts, Gregynog Gallery for the opening the Black Book of Carmarthen and ceremony. Mari Rhian Owen of the Library’s founding 1907 Royal Arad Goch theatre company read Charter, was staged. greetings from other libraries and A flag-bearer carrying the institutions and also two specially National Library’s centenary flag composed centenary poems Andrew Green, Librarian and Derek Brockway was accompanied by Ceri Rhys (in Welsh and English) by Wales’s Matthews, playing the Welsh first National Poet, Gwyneth Lewis. bagpipes.

This paper is made from 100% recycled material. Researching online has been made easier Life just got easier for researchers

A new catalogue has been Browse search displays results introduced by the National Library. alphabetically and is the ideal way This is a fully integrated library of searching for journals in our Stephen West, Catering Manager catalogue which will contain collection. records from our print and non- Expert searching is a specialist print collections. Meet the staff method of searching that offers the The catalogue will eventually contain user the ability to search the database When did you join the Library 4 distinct interfaces – the Full by criteria such as publisher, which are and where did you work before Catalogue, e-Resources, Family and unavailable by Basic and Keyword coming here? Local History and a National Screen searching. I joined Pen Dinas restaurant at the and Sound Archive of Wales interface. External searching is an exciting Library in December 2003. Before Each has an identical layout, which is new feature that offers the user that I was at the Conrah Hotel near user-friendly, but is also distinct in the capability of searching the Aberystwyth as Head Chef for 14 character and purpose. Navigating Library catalogue as well as other years. Before the Conrah I worked between each interface is simple and library catalogues such as the at the Priory Hotel, Wareham, Dorset is done by one click of the mouse. and before that at a 5 star hotel in Library of Congress, Washington Park Lane called Inn on the There are 5 ways of searching and all the major Welsh Universities Park, now called Four Seasons. for materials on each interface – simultaneously. Basic search, Keyword, Browse, The Library offers Reader Surgeries, What kind of food does Expert and External. Pen Dinas serve? assisting readers to make the most We use as much local and Welsh The Basic search is a simple Google of our catalogues and electronic produce as possible and food takes style search, offering the user to resources. Each session lasts 30 the form of a carvery, main dish of search by: Anywhere, Title, Author, minutes. Subject, ISBN or ISSN. the day, vegetarian option as well For further details please contact as homemade soups, salads and A Keyword search offers the users Iwan ap Dafydd on 01970 632881 sandwiches … and desserts! the ability to combine several Basic or [email protected] What’s the public’s favourite searches simultaneously. dish? Always popular are the sausages made especially for the Library by Crowning Eisteddfod Lens 3 the Aberystwyth butcher, Rob Rattray. They include lamb and coincidence The third annual Lens festival mead and beef and Ceredigion beer. of documentary photography As part of its centenary Have you cooked for any famous will be held at the Library on celebrations the National Library Saturday 10 November. or important people or for is co-sponsoring the crown at this special occasions? year’s National Eisteddfod in Mold. The title of this year’s event will be Loads of celebrities have found ‘People and Portraits’. The event their way to Pen Dinas and have Traditionally, a crown is awarded to the includes talks by some of Wales’s included; Derek Brockway, writer of the best poem in free metre at best known photographers – Monty Don and ’s chef, an eisteddfod and is a tradition which the famous war photographer, Dudley Newbery. stretches back over many centuries. Philip Jones Griffiths, was the What’s your favourite meal? This year’s crown has been designed by main speaker at last year’s event. My favourite meal is fresh fish, Llanelli jeweller, Mari Thomas, and is Keep an eye on our website but I will always try something that sponsored jointly by the National Library (www.llgc.org.uk) for the latest I haven’t tried before! and National Museum Wales. news. How Green was my Valley Fflics – Wales Screen Classics

Fflics – Wales Screen Classics is the (accompanied by newly composed brand new film festival to be held music by the pianist, Neil Brand) and jointly between The Library’s over 30 films and discussions. National Screen and Sound Archive Fflics will be held between 25 and 28 of Wales and Aberystwyth Arts October. Take a look at the Archive’s Centre in October 2007. Cara Wallia Derelicta website for the latest developments, The festival will be a feast of films www.screenandsound.llgc.org.uk from the Archive collection and beyond, including films from Wales and about David Jones Wales from the dawn of the cinema The appeal of the writer and age to the end of the nitrate period artist David Jones is timeless. at the beginning of the 1950s. As part of the Library’s Among the film highlights of the centenary celebrations, the festival will be a restored print David Jones Society will be screening of How Green was my Valley, holding their symposium, a screening of the retrieved silent film, entitled, ‘Illuminating The Life Story of David Jones’, at the Library for the first time ever. The symposium, which is held from 31 August to 2 September will include the film premiere of Peter Snow and Rolf drop by In Search of David Jones: Soldier, Artist, Poet. Some familiar faces dropped by at Another famous person who took the National Library’s stand at the great interest in the stand was David Jones (1895–1974) was an massive Who Do You Think You the artist Rolf Harris. His ancestors accomplished artist who produced Are? – Live family history event were well-known artists and watercolours, illustrations and at Olympia in London in May. photographers in the coal mining inscriptions, and who also gained valleys of Glamorgan before they acclaim as a poet, especially as The genealogy fair based on the emigrated to Australia. the author of In Parenthesis in popular BBC series of the same 1937, and the long prose poem name drew 12,000 people on its The Anathemata in 1952. opening day. The Library’s stand, with its striking picture of David The literary manuscripts of Lloyd George and his family tree, David Jones, including drafts attracted crowds of people of In Parenthesis and The interested in their Welsh roots. Anathemata, and a substantial body of correspondence, are Among the visitors were former housed at the Library. A complete presenter, Peter Snow online catalogue of his papers will and his military historian son, soon be available on the Library’s . Peter Snow’s wife, website. Anne MacMillan, was especially interested in the Library’s stand – The NLW also holds the complete she’s a granddaughter of library of David Jones, as well Lloyd George. as some significant works of art Rolf Harris and his wife, Alwen including Capel-y-ffin and Cara Wallia Derelicta. Web Watching Librarians of the The Library has co-operated with many institutions in world unite! Wales and abroad to bring Welsh history and archives to a wider audience. Why not visit these sites? The National Library of Wales will welcome delegates from Glaniad – this trilingual site about the Welsh colony around the world to the in Patagonia is the outcome of unique co-operation International Group of between many institutions in Wales and in Patagonia. Publishing Libraries (IGPL) www.glaniad.com www.glaniad.com conference 11–14 June 2007. Wales-Ohio Project – the archives of the Welsh who This biennial conference has a emigrated to Ohio in the USA. The site was supported full and varied programme, by Evan and Elizabeth Davis of Oak Hill, Ohio. which will enable delegates to http://ohio.llgc.org.uk discuss and debate the latest The Book of Llandaf – you can now see this important developments within the world ecclesiastical manuscript and dozens of other important of publishing. The event confirms and interesting archives and images on the Library’s Digital that the National Library is truly http://ohio.llgc.org.uk Mirror site. www.llgc.org.uk ‘one of the world’s great libraries’.

Books Call in!

Unsurprisingly, The National With hundreds of images it is a feast The National Library welcomes Library of Wales also publishes for the mind and the eye. Welsh new readers and visitors – books. This year being its Furniture was published with the why not call in? centenary year, several important support of the National Library and books will be launched. also National Museum Wales, is in Library opening hours: hardback and costs £150. • 9.30am – 6.00pm In this Place – Monday to Friday the Library’s Eisteddfodau Geoff Charles – definitive centenary The latest in the popular series of • 9.30am – 5.00pm Saturday publication features photographic books by Y Lolfa and • 10.00am – 4.00pm on selected over one hundred the National Library. The album of public holidays colour images some of Geoff Charles’s most to complement touching, humorous and historic Pen Dinas restaurant and the Trevor Fishlock’s photographs of Welsh eisteddfodau Library Shop are open to all interesting and lively appreciation from the mid 1930s to 1960s is a readers and visitors. Design www.petergill.com 157840507 of the Library’s collection. It will be fascinating glimpse of a unique Welsh To arrange group visits, phone launched at the Hay on Wye festival institution. The book will be launched Angharad Jones on 01970 632801 on Monday 28 May; price £25 on 31 July at the Library. or e-mail her on [email protected] hardback and £15 paperback. Prif Weinidog Answyddogol For further information about Yn y Lle Hwn – Mererid Hopwood, Cymru: Cofiant Huw T Edwards – the Library and its activities: Chaired National Eisteddfod Bard A biography by Gwyn Jenkins, the Telephone: 01970 632800 and lecturer in German at Swansea Director of Collection Services at the E-mail: [email protected] University College, is responsible for Library, about one of Wales’s most Website: www.llgc.org.uk the Library’s Welsh-language centenary respected politicians. Published by publication, Yn y Lle Hwn. This is also Y Lolfa and launched at the Library available in hardback and paperback on 13 July. and priced £25 and £15. The Development of Welsh Library fact Welsh Furniture Heraldry, Vol IV – Dr Michael 1250 – 1950: Siddons, Wales Herald of Arms The National Library’s A Cultural History Extraordinary’s latest volume in his photographic archive collects of Craftmanship series on Welsh Heraldry complements chiefly documentary and Design – his other invaluable contributions to photography depicting Welsh Another much- our understanding of Welsh heraldry life and landscape. awaited definitive and genealogy. The book is published But there are exceptions. publication, by The National Library of Wales. One particularly interesting lovingly written example is our collection of early by Richard Bebb, an author who is Remember to buy online: glass plate photographs of not only knowledgeable but also http://shop.llgc.org.uk Yellowstone Park in the USA. passionate about his subject.