Helping us Achieve – Volunteers to give context to Historic Dorrien cartoons

On 14 June the National Library of Wales will launch its Helping Us Achieve plan which is part of the Volunteering Strategy at the National Library of Wales. The first project chosen will see Volunteers provide a social and political context to cartoons by the Western Mail and South Wales Echo’s cartoonist, Dorrien.

Sir Deian Hopkin, President of the Library, commented;

"This scheme will provide an opportunity for citizens to volunteer and work within an  institution of national importance. It has the potential to make a big difference to the lives of many people and simultaneously help us to improve our service to our citizens "

Andrew Green, Librarian of the National Library of Wales, is keen to emphasize that the purpose was not to recruit volunteers to take over the work of employees, but rather:

"Volunteers will enable us to achieve additional work which we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. They will provide added value to what is achieved here at the Library at the moment. We look forward very much to welcoming the Volunteers to the Library."

Dorrien Cartoons
The first volunteers to be appointed are a group of students from the Department of History and Welsh History at Aberystwyth University. These volunteers will work on the Library's collection of Dorrien cartoons. Dorrien, who died in 1998, was a cartoonist with the Western Mail and South Wales Echo. To date, there is no way for the public to access the collection and the work undertaken by the volunteers will result in the Library a step closer to being able to share the wealth of Dorrien’s work with the world.

The Dorrien collection is divided into two sections. One section is of political cartoons, and includes the original versions of cartoons published in newspapers such as the Western Mail and South Wales Echo. The second section is of original portraits of cricketers, golfers and boxers. Between these two categories there are just over 700 items.

Coordinator
Recently, with the help of Big Lottery Fund, the Library has been able to appoint Gwyneth Davies as volunteer coordinator. She will be responsible for drawing up new projects and promote volunteering opportunities. Gwyneth’s e-mail is: gwd@llgc.org.uk and anyone interested in volunteering she contact her.

Volunteers from around the world
Gwyneth will also be part of development projects that will enable volunteers to work remotely.

Andrew Green again:

"We want to give everyone the opportunity to volunteer – whether they live on the Golan Heights or in Golan, the village near Caernarfon. They will be able to offer themselves as volunteers. The new technology and the easy interaction that occurs between the Library and its people is developing day by day. Distance is no longer a reason for not offering to become a volunteer. After all, the world is the Library’s audience and is already providing and sharing information: I'm sure that there are talented and knowledgeable people – even  in the remotest areas – who could help the Library to provide the best service possible to Wales and the world "

The public will benefit
Everyone who wants to use the Library’s services, and particularly its collections, to learn, explore and find new information, will benefit greatly as a result of work performed by volunteers. The Library’s volunteering strategy plans to provide information and access to important data which would not be widely available to the public if it were not for the work undertaken by volunteers. This scheme has the potential to provide new information to the world is very significant.

Help us to Achieve will be launched in:
Drwm, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
1.00 pm, 14 June 2012

For further information:
Siôn Jobbins, NLW Press Office: 01970 632902 post@llgc.org.uk