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'Small is the seed of all greatness'

14.11.2018

If you visit The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth on Thursday 15th November, you’re in for a big surprise. You’ll find children carrying out work and taking on roles that are usually reserved for adults.

It's part of a wider Takeover Day scheme - a day on which museums, galleries and arts organisations up and down Wales are being taken over by children and teenagers. Kids in Museums is teaming up with the Welsh Government to help place children and teenagers at the heart of organisations.

Pupils from Ysgol Brynsierfel, Llanelli will take responsibility for various tasks – in public areas and behind the scenes.

Llanelli children will stamp and organise items as they arrive in the collection, fetch books and other items from the collection for readers, install an exhibition, digitize items from the collection, monitor the safety of the building, work at our reception and guide visitors around our exhibitions.

Kids in Museums is an independent charity operating across the UK to try and make exhibitions and galleries more welcoming places for children and families.

Rhodri Morgan, Education Service Manager at The National Library of Wales said:


“We look forward to welcoming Year 4 pupils of Ysgol Brynsierfel, Llwynhendy here to the National Library during Takeover Day in Wales, on Thursday November 15th. Completing the tasks and activities that have been prepared for them will be an exciting way for the children to learn about the purpose and value of a national establishment, as well as the different elements that have to be maintained in order to keep a massive workplace like the Library functioning.”

Mrs Jayne Davies, Head of Ysgol Brynsierfel added:

“I like to thank The National Library of Wales sincerely for offering this priceless opportunity to the pupils of Ysgol Brynsierfel. I have no doubt that this special day will inspire the children, and encourage them to take an even keener interest in the rich history and heritage of Wales. I’m sure that these experiences will be unforgettable to young and eager minds.”

Further Information:
Elin-Hâf 01970 632471 or post@llgc.org.uk

The National Library of Wales:
The National Library of Wales is the biggest library in Wales and serves as the nation's memory. As a legal deposit library it has the right to receive a free copy of everything published in Britain and Ireland. Around 4,000 new publications are collected every week that add to The National Library's collection of:

  • 6 million books and newspapers
  • 1,000,000 photographs
  • 60,000 works of art
  • 1.5 million maps
  • 7 million feet of film
  • 40,000 manuscripts
  • 250,000 hours of video
  • 1,900 cubic metres of archives

The National Library of Wales provides its services free to all Welsh citizens and it does not discriminate on the basis of ability or inability to pay. It welcomes children and young people to use its services, either by visiting the Library in Aberystwyth or accessing its resources and services on-line. The Library also delivers workshops in communities across the whole of Wales that meet the requirements of the curriculum in Wales as regards content and skills, and present the Library’s collections to young people, parents and teachers. This work is delivered in partnership with local authorities, education advisors, and individual organisations and schools with the aim of ensuring that as many children and young people in Wales as possible can benefit from the Library’s rich collections.

Tackling Poverty Through Culture
The National Library of Wales supports the Welsh Government 's programme Fusion: Creating opportunities through culture. This programme links cultural bodies more closely together to work within Pioneer Areas to inspire young people and adults. The Fusion programme is working to eliminate barriers to cultural participation so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of taking part in cultural activity. For more information visit: Tackling Poverty Through Culture

Ysgol Brynsierfel, Llanelli
Ysgol Gymraeg Brynsierfel is a designated Welsh medium primary school  situated in Llwynhendy, Llanelli. The original building was officially opened on Thursday October 15 1953 by the Right Honourable James Griffiths with the pupils arriving on December 1st.
The original school was built on the site of a farm where the ‘sierfel’ (cherfil) grew. The ‘sierfel’ gave its name to the farm and later to the school itself. The new school building was opened in June 2011 and cost £6.5 million. The ultra modern school is on two levels with excellent facilities for ICT, PE and the development of skills.

The school motto is ‘Bach yw hedyn pob mawredd’. It can be translated as: “Small is the seed of all greatness” which corresponds to “Great oaks from little acorns grow”. This old proverb was chosen as the school’s motto to help nurture in the pupils the conviction that they can grow into excellent citizens and very special individuals. Trying to convey the innate greatness of the human personality is part of our purpose.

NLW Education Service
The NLW Education Service was established in 2002. Its main work is to:

  • Deliver a programme of educational activities of a high standard to promote The National Library of Wales and the national collection through the school curriculum.
  • Increase awareness among children and young people of the history, culture and heritage of Wales.
  • Facilitate access to information for learners and educators and assist them in making the most of our collections by interpreting information in the national collection.
  • Increase the Library’s presence, and awareness of the institution and its work, in various parts of Wales.
  • Assist NLW in delivering the five strategic aims set out in Knowledge for All: The strategy of the National Library of Wales, 2014-2017.
  • Produce high quality digital resources to assist with the delivery of the school curriculum in Wales, and publish these on Hwb.
  • Manage various projects that provide access to the collections to children, young people and adults.
  • Support the Welsh Government social inclusion and reducing inequality agendas by working in disadvantaged areas.

Since 2007 The National Library of Wales Education Service has been taking the Library’s collections to schools and communities throughout Wales as part of its outreach programme. These outreach projects are developed in partnership with local authorities, schools and other organisations and individually tailored to meet the needs of those users, as well as assisting them to deliver the required skills and content of the curriculum in Wales.