During 2007 The National Library of Wales celebrated the centenary of the grant of its Charter of foundation on 19 March 1907. It was a busy year of meetings, conferences, events and general promotion of the Library's collections and services. Below are listed some of the highlights of the celebrations.

 

 

Some Centenary events

 

Exhibitions

 

• In this place exhibition, 19 March – 3 November and online version
• The Library’s century, 24 February 2007 – 9 February 2008
• CLIC: Imaging Wales in Latvia and Estonia
• Plas Lluest exhibition, 7 September – 16 November
• In this place at Wrexham Museum, 10 September 2007 – 5 January 2008 with programme of educational activities

 

 

Publicity

 

• Special supplements in the Western Mail, Cambrian News, Y Cymro and Liverpool Daily Post
• Joan Bakewell’s radio programme in the series ‘The great libraries’ (Radio 4), 11 March 2007
• S4C TV series, ‘Y Llyfrgell’ (Mererid Hopwood)
• BBC Wales TV series, ‘Tales from the National Library’ (Trevor Fishlock)
• Radio Cymru series ‘Dweud cyfrolau’ (Hywel Gwynfryn)
• Radio Wales series ‘Shelf life’ (Trevor Fishlock)
• News items on the Centenary day, 19 March 2007, especially ‘Wales Today’ and ‘Wedi 7’
• Radio Ceredigion series (Lyn Ebenezer)

 

 

Festivals and Conferences

 

• Fflics film festival, 25–28 October
• CURL (Consortium of Research Libraries) conference at NLW, 26–27 April
• IGPL (International Group of Publishing Libraries) conference at NLW, 11–13 June
• David Jones Society international conference, ‘Illuminating his library’ at NLW, 30 August–1 September
• S4C conference at NLW, 1–2 November

 

 

Presentations

 

• Open day 27 January and presentation of poems by Gwyneth Lewis – these were sent around the world to other libraries in March and greetings were received in return
• Presentation by Cwmni Arad Goch, ‘Caneri, gwylan a brân’ in the Drwm for school pupils from Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, September – October 2007
• Institute of Welsh Affairs lectures at the Museum and Library, January 2006 – March 2007
• Librarian’s lecture on Sir John Ballinger, 7 March
• President’s lecture on Sir John Williams, 10 July
• Lecture and reception with Trevor Fishlock at the Hay Festival

 

 

Events

 

• Readathon in the Drwm, 26 February
• Staff centenary party, 23 March
• Launch of first phase of new library management system and new website, 29 March
• NLW presence at family history fair, ‘Who do you think you are’ at Olympia, May
• Sponsorship of chairing ceremony at Urdd National Eisteddfod, Carmarthen, 1 June
• Unveiling of plaque in the Assembly Rooms, Laura Place, the Library’s first home, 4 July
• Presentation of National Eisteddfod Crown jointly with National Museum Wales, Flintshire and District National Eisteddfod, 6 August
• Launch of film sponsored by the Friends and presented by Huw Edwards, October
• Publishing industry awards dinner, 3 November

 

 

Publications

 

• Trevor Fishlock, In this place
• Mererid Hopwood, Yn y lle hwn
• Rhidian Griffiths, Y ddinas ar y bryn: NLW in pictures
• David Williams, Images of Welsh history

 

 

Others

 

• Centenary banners over the building, 1 January onwards
• Additional lighting to illuminate the Library by night, March 2007 onwards
• Centenary flower bed, summer 2007