It is important that the Library’s Education Service has an opportunity to work with educators from different sectors of the learning community as often as possible. Only by working directly with lecturers, tutors, teachers, leaders, or parents involved with home learning, will we fully appreciate how The National Library of Wales’s collections can support learning in the school, college and beyond, and how we can develop material to fill existing gaps in the resources presently available. More importantly perhaps, it gives us a chance to increase the educators’ awareness of the many different types of materials held here, and to promote the facilities and services that the Library is able to offer – free of charge!
One example of such an opportunity is a ‘work experience’ programme for professionals offered by Careers Wales, and today we were able to welcome three secondary school teachers from Ysgol Uwchradd Tregaron to experience The National Library of Wales. Huw Williams (Art and Design), Eleri Williams (Textiles) and Meryl George (SEN) were all visiting the Library on an ‘inset’ day, and it was my responsibility to look after them during their time here.
Careers Wales is an agency that supports clients by providing teaching and learning activities linked to careers and the world of work. Its programmes give professionals an opportunity to sample different workplaces and business environments that may support their skills in the classroom.
Meryl George, Ysgol Uwchradd Tregaron, looking at a Victorian map of the Tregaron area
During the morning the teachers were given a brief talk on the Library’s history and varied collections, followed by an extensive tour of the building. Before lunch the visitors were shown different aspects of the Library’s work by visiting the Conservation and Preventative Conservation teams, and finally the Digitisation unit. It was a pleasure witnessing the teachers’ wonderment at realising that so much of the work going on “behind the scenes” involves such specialist skills and expert knowledge – not to mention patience.
Two of the teachers, Huw Williams and Eleri Williams, spent the afternoon with Lona Mason, Visual Images Librarian, looking at lithographs and wood-cut engravings, and Meryl George was given an introduction to Family History and Local History by Beryl Evans in the Library’s South Reading Room.
Having had the opportunity to discuss the Education Service’s work with the teachers during the day, it is apparent that the Library can continue to play a significant role in the teaching of their particular subjects, and we look forward to working with them in the near future.