Libraries, museums and archives in Wales will benefit
from over £2.7million of Welsh Government funding to develop and enhance their
services, Economy Secretary Ken Skates has announced today.
Mike Hedges said…. ‘This is good news for the library
sector and for those interested in ensuring that our past is preserved. It also
enables upgrading of facilities for library users to read digital media on
their own devices. I urge Swansea East residents to make use of their local
libraries’.
The new Transformation Fund builds on the
success of the Community Learning Libraries Programme for libraries, extending
it to museums and archives for the first time. This capital funding will see a
number of libraries and museums transform their services to significantly
improve the visitor experience, offer new services and develop their sustainability
and resilience.
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and
Infrastructure, Ken Skates, said:
“I am pleased to announce this funding of
over £2.7 million for our museums, archives and libraries. These important
cultural services are developing ways to engage more people to participate in
culture, improving their creative and learning offers, and enabling people to
reach their potential through new opportunities.
“Transforming the cultural and learning
experience to open up opportunities to participate in culture is central to
this funding. I want as many people as possible to experience the varied and
stimulating cultural collections and learning experiences which are available
in museums, libraries and archives across Wales.
“The Welsh Government is dedicated to
supporting these important services and facilities and I'd encourage and
recommend everyone to pay them a visit and discover, learn and to enjoy the
richness of our culture.”
The Fund will modernise five libraries in
Denbigh, Holyhead, Knighton, Pontypridd and Townhill, establishing new
community hubs where customers can access a range of services such as housing
or community facilities, alongside an extensive range of library
amenities.
Funding is also provided for Ammanford
library to for the creation of a Creative Store (Stordy Creadigol) in
partnership with other service providers, offering a high-tech ‘maker space’
where people can learn a range of creative and cultural skills.
Six museums will receive transformation
funding to increase public access to their facilities and collections, ranging
from tactile signage for Tenby Museum, to creating new educational facilities
at Oriel Ynys Mon and installing new lighting as part of the redevelopment of
Ceredigion Museum to improve the visitor experience.
Welsh Government funding will also support
the digital offer from museums, archives and libraries, including the National
Digital Library Service, which allows customers to access free e-books,
e-zines, e-audio books, e-comics, and reference sources, wherever and whenever
they want.
Archive services across Wales will benefit
from funding to address the challenges of preserving our digital heritage, and
to improve online access to information about archival resources.
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