Museums Archives and Libraries Wales Magazine Legacies That Last exhibition

Museums Archives and Libraries Wales Magazine

Winter 2008 Issue 7

Legacies That Last exhibition

Robert Owen

Gwynedd - Liverpoolconnection

Reading communities Happy Days at libraries

D 351Cymal 7 English.indd 1 20/11/08 14:50:22

News

Gwynedd - Liverpool Connections Celebrated Esther Roberts

Resident genius

Focus on… Training

Terry Cook Masterclass Sally McInnes

Historic buildings and the impact of climate changeLucinda Williams

Spotlight on CyMAL: Sponsonship colleagues

4-104-10

11-14 11-14

15-19 15-19

20-2320-23

24-2524-25

26-2926-29

3030

CyMAL: Museums Archives andLibraries Wales is a division of the Welsh AssemblyGovernment.

Editor: Alyson TylerT: 01970 610224E: [email protected]

ISSN: 1749-7795

The CyMAL magazine ispublished twice yearly.Opinions expressed in theCyMAL magazine are notnecessarily those of CyMAL or the Editor.

© Welsh Assembly Government All rights reserved.Cover photo© New Lanark Conservation TrustAvailable in alternativeformats from CyMAL

Printed on recycled paper

D3510809

CMK-22-08-049

Quilt by Susan Briscoe, Plas Newydd resident artist in 2005© Denbighshire County Council

www.wales.gov.uk/cymalwww.wales.gov.uk/cymal


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Welcome to issue 7 of

CyMAL magazine

Welcome to the Winter issue of the CyMAL magazine. Once again, the magazine highlights the varied and rich collection of activities thatregularly take place in museums, archives and libraries in Wales.

A few months ago I had the pleasure of opening an exhibition at Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor which celebrated the special relationshipbetween Gwynedd and Liverpool. It was fantastic to see how local people truly made it their own through contributingartefacts and oral history. A report on the exhibition is included in this issue.

The ‘Focus on ...’ article looks at training in the library sector. Research has shown that the staff of any organisation are critical to its success. Therefore, training anddevelopment for staff is extremelyimportant. Under the Libraries for Lifeprogramme, a variety of training bursaries are available and I would like to encourage staff to take advantage of these opportunities.

With my background in the creativeindustries, I was particularly interested in the article about how creativity can be developed in organisations and their staff through resident artists or writers.

Explored through three different andinspiring case studies from museums,archives and libraries in Wales, it is clear that these schemes bring added value not only for visitors but also for the institution.

This issue also coincides with the release of grant paperwork for all the CyMAL grant schemes. I invite you to make the most of the opportunities available to you through these Welsh Assembly Government grants.

Alun Ffred Jones AMMinister for Heritage Welsh AssemblyGovernment


The fi rst fi ve public library citizenentitlements were launched in September 2008.

Jointly developed by the Welsh Assembly

Government, the Welsh Local Government

Association and Society of Chief Librarians

Wales, they are a good example of how

partnership working can improve the services

offered to the public.

The fi rst fi ve entitlements are:

• Free to join

• Borrow books for free

• Free use of the internet and computers

• Free use of online information resources

• Friendly staff on hand to help

Over the next three years, three more

entitlements will be added to make using the

library even more fl exible. All eight

entitlements will be in place by April 2011.

Library entitlements launched

4News

Abertillery Museum’s Don Bearcroft won the title of Heritage Hero for Wales in theHeritage Lottery Fund and NationwideCommunity & Heritage Awards. He had earlier won a regional award in the Heritage Individual category. As well as the title, hereceived £500 for the charity of his choice and £250 worth of retail vouchers forhimself.

At the time of publication the outcome of the

national (UK) award for Heritage Hero had yet

to be announced. Don will attend the

ceremony in the Tower of London where the

national winner will be revealed.

“Being sent to the Tower is something a few

people have suggested for me in the past,”

said Don. “I expect that they have sharpened

the axe!”

Before winning the awards Don and his wife

Peggy Bearcroft received an award from the

Community Council for their work in

Abertillery Museum.

www.abertillery.net/museum

STOP PRESS: Don is now the UK Heritage

Hero!

Heritage Hero

Hywel James, Principal Librarian for Gwynedd, Cllr Dyfed Edwards, Welsh Local Govenment Association spokesperson for Culture and Minister for Heritage Alun Ffred Jones © WLGA


5

News

2008 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of social reformer Robert Owen from Newtown, mid Wales, who is regarded as the ‘father’ of the Co-operative and Trade Union Movements.

An online exhibition has been developed to

celebrate the achievements of this remarkable

man who is also famous for his work on

lifelong learning, social justice, equal

opportunities and fair trade.

Robert Owen: Legacies That Last looks at his

life and work and considers how his ideas and

actions of almost 200 years ago relate to

issues in Wales today.

The bilingual exhibition - developed with a

Welsh Assembly Government grant of almost

£20,000 from CyMAL: Museums Archives

and Libraries Wales - has interactive elements,

such as a quiz and timeline. It also features

downloadable learning resources which link

to the National Curriculum for England and

Wales. It has been developed alongside a

travelling exhibition, funded by the Heritage

Lottery Fund, which has been touring venues

throughout Wales during 2008.

Siân Williams, Librarian at the South Wales

Miners’ Library, Swansea University, developed

the exhibitions.

“It is remarkable how relevant Robert Owen’s

ideas and actions are to current issues in

Welsh society,” said Sian. “He was certainly a

man ahead of his time.”

Find out more:Siân Williams LibrarianSouth Wales Miners’ LibrarySwansea UniversityE: [email protected] www.robertowen2008.coop

Robert Owen: Legacies That Last

Robert Owen© New Lanark Conservation Trust


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Ruth Jones, writer of TV comedy series Gavin and Stacey, launched the Happy Days Library festival with Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones in Barry library on 2 October 2008.

Both the Minister and Ruth spokeenthusiastically about libraries. Ruth even mentioned that she had previously used Barry Library as a changing room duringfi lming Gavin and Stacey for an episodefeaturing her dressed as a statue.

Later during the launch, sixth form students from Barry Comprehensive School enjoyed a question and answer session with Ruth asking her questions about Gavin and Stacey, accents and writing.

The Happy Days programme of activities lasted throughout October and November and featured a number of other celebrities who helped promote the positive impact libraries can have on people’s lives.

Happy Days

Ruth Jones with Danielle Fox, Senior Library Assistant

From September 2008, people in Wales can now access the Books Prescription Wales (BPW) scheme through the medium of Welsh.

The top four mental health self-help titles

available on the BPW scheme have been

translated into Welsh and produced in CD

format. With the permission of the publishers

Constable & Robinson, and funding from the

health division of the Welsh Assembly

Government, the work was conducted by

Gwynedd Library Service and the North Wales

Society for the Blind on behalf of the Society of

Chief Librarians Wales. The CDs are now

available from public libraries throughout Wales.

Hywel James, Principal Librarian for

Gwynedd, said: “This is an excellent example

of co-operation between various bodies and

fi lls an important gap in mental healthcare and

provision of information for the benefi t of the

public.”

The BPW scheme enables a GP to prescribe a

book to a patient, with the book issued by the

public library. The scheme, originally for

mental health in adults, is also being

developed by many health trusts for family and

children (see CyMAL magazine Issue 3).

Book scheme available in Welsh


7

News

Information about the Welsh AssemblyGovernment grants managed by CyMAL:Museums Archives and Libraries Wales for 2009 -10 is now available.

Grants are available for museums, archives

and libraries for a range of schemes

including the cross-sector Inspiring Learning

grant programme.

New for 2009-10 is an increase in the

Community Learning Libraries capital

refurbishment grants. The Welsh Assembly

Government will invest £3 million next year for

public library buildings. In the last two years

31 public libraries have already been

refurbished under the grant scheme.

All paperwork is available on the

CyMAL website

www.wales.gov.uk/cymal or contact

CyMAL directly on

[email protected] or 01970 610224.

Grants for 2009-10

This campaign, based on the concept of ‘Reading Cities’ which have proved popular in the United States, England and Scotland, was one of the main schemes of the Year of Reading in Wales. Its aim was to encourage whole communities to read.

Each authority was invited, through the

Society of Chief Librarians Wales, to bid for

two sums of £20,000 to present a programme

of activities which would lead to the creation

of reading communities.

The winning bids were those of Llanelli and

Barry communities, and both library services

drew up a shortlist of books so that the public

could vote for their favourite book in English

and in Welsh. Once the voting was over, the

titles of the winning books in both communi-

ties were announced. Many events were held

during October and November by the Llanelli

Community Reads and the Barry: Our Big

Read campaigns to draw further

attention to those books and their authors.

Reading Communities

of the National Year

of Reading

Announcing the winning titles of ‘Barry: Our Big Read’ campaign with the help of Barry’s town crier© Welsh Books Council. Photographer John O’Beirne.


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News

New archive initiativeA new initiative between the NationalManuscripts Conservation Trust (NMCT) and CyMAL, a division of the Welsh Assembly Government, has seen £50,000 of grants awarded for archival conservation of manuscripts in Wales in 2008-09.

The NMCT, administered by The National

Archives, provides fi nancial assistance to

support the preservation of the nation’s

written heritage and matched CyMAL’s

fi nancial contribution to create a new grant

scheme for Wales.

Successful projects in 2008-09 were:

• Aberystwyth University - Library Planning

archive

• Cardiff University - Edward Thomas

WW1 letters

• Ceredigion Archives - Florrie Hamer’s

archive

• Conwy Archives - Penmaenmawr Quarry

records

• Powys County Archives - Llangyllo

Parochial records

• Swansea University - St David’s Priory

parish records

The conservation of written documents is a

priority area for the archive domain, as noted

in the Archives and Records Council Wales’

Strategy Day, and in recent National

Preservation Offi ce Preservation Assessment

Surveys.

Below: Some of the archives from Penmaenmawr Quarry© Conwy Archive Services


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News

100 year old psychiatric

records relevant todayA project by Denbighshire ArchivesService has conserved the archives of the North Wales Hospital, Denbigh. The hospital, formerly known as the Denbigh MentalAsylum closed in 1998, having served the whole of north and mid Wales since the mid nineteenth century.

The project, funded mainly by a CyMAL grant,

concentrated on the patients’ case books which are

believed to be the earliest and which are certainly

the most complete record of people admitted to

such institutions. They begin on the opening of the

hospital in 1848 and continue until they give way to

fi les in the 1940s. These large volumes record in

meticulous detail the progress of the patient’s illness

along with comments from the hospital staff on his

or her behaviour in a context which often reveals as

much about prevailing social and cultural attitudes

as about the illness.

As other records are similarly complete, one can

chart the whole of a patient’s time in the institution,

and indeed before, as committal papers (16,000

items in all) state the reasons why an individual

was sent there. In all, sixty-eight case books and

other volumes were repaired and rebound.

At the end of the project a day-school was held with

presentations on different aspects of the archives,

including the use of datasets derived from the case

books by a leading clinical psychologist. He argued

the information had world-wide signifi cance

and, when compared with the results of

studies of patients from the same area

100 years later, is of major relevance to

the study of psychiatric medicine today.

The project not only means the physical

future of the case books is assured but

also gives an opportunity to promote

their signifi cance to a wider audience.

For more information

Jane Brunning

E: [email protected]

T: 01824 708256

www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Sick ward at North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, c. 1920© North Wales Hospital History Society and Denbighshire Record Offi ce.


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News

New dates for diversityWork is currently underway to address the areas for development identifi ed in CyMAL’s Quantifying Diversity research project. This involves two stages: fi rstly addressing the mainstreaming of equality and diversity inCyMAL’s work programmes and grant schemes; and, secondly, providing additional support for museums, archives and libraries to mainstream equality and diversity in all

areas of their operations, includingemployment, collections and user services.

Additional work is required to address

international and UK developments in the fi eld

of equality and diversity since the research

project was completed in 2007. One important

development is the UN Convention on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities (which the

UK Government has signed and is expected to

ratify in the near future, following a review of

its application to existing domestic law). The

other crucial development is forthcoming new

equality legislation which is expected to unify,

streamline and in places extend the existing

plethora of different requirements relating to

the protected groups.

To allow time to take account of the

implications of these developments for

museums, archives and libraries, CyMAL has

revised the expected dates for completion of

this work. The current intention is to agree

actions for the mainstreaming of equality and

diversity within CyMAL’s work by June 2009

and to produce new guidance for the sector by

December 2009.

CyMAL will provide updates on developing

legislation, as it affects the museums, archives

and libraries sector, as the position becomes

clearer. Look out for further news of how we

are using the Quantifying Diversity fi ndings to

improve what we do throughout 2009.

For further information contact:

Katherine Thomas,

Equal Opportunities Adviser,

CyMAL,

E: [email protected] or

T: 01970 610232

© Design Team Welsh Assembly Government


Gwynedd - Liverpool Connections Celebrated

The relationship between Liverpool and

Gwynedd has not always been an easy one.

We are all too familiar with controversies such

as the drowning of Tryweryn in the 1960s to

create a water supply for the residents of

Liverpool, and the more recent heated debates

over whether the 2007 National Eisteddfod

should be held in Liverpool. But the rich

history that links the two places is often

overlooked. So when the idea was voiced to

create an exhibition which aimed to celebrate

these historical connections between Gwynedd

and Liverpool, there was an appetite to do

so. Liverpool enjoying the status of European

Capital of Culture in 2008 provided us with

the impetus to celebrate the shared history and

connections between the two places.

Esther Elin Roberts, Curator at Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery explains how investigating the historical links between Gwynedd and Liverpool has led to an exhibition which celebrates the connections between the two different, yet similar, places.

Nurses at the Royal Southern Hospital, Christmas 1934 © Hywel Roberts


12

Project briefWe knew we wanted to create an exhibition

which examined the historical links between

Wales and Liverpool. We also knew that many

people were unaware of the depth and range of

connections between the two places. Although

material with Wales-wide connections exists,

we decided to focus on material with

connections only to Gwynedd; this would make

the project more manageable and fi tting, as

the exhibition would be hosted at the Gwynedd

Museum and Art Gallery in Bangor.

CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries

Wales awarded two grants totalling £24,660

over two years for the project. Additional

funding came from Gwynedd Council and the

Friends of Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery.

Open daysThe Project Offi cer, Tegid Rhys Williams,

organised a variety of open days held in

Bangor, Dolgellau and Liverpool. The public

were invited to bring their oral histories,

photographs, documents and objects and share

them with the project and museum staff. A

total of 48 people attended the open days – all

bringing with them a fascinating range of

material which included photographs, maps,

programmes, posters, records, books, clothes

and ceramics. Many oral histories were also

recorded during the open days. Some people

had memories of wartime Liverpool and of

being evacuated to Gwynedd, or memories of

teaching in Liverpool, or of the many social

events the Liverpool Welsh communities

organised in Liverpool.

Gwynedd - Liverpool

“Wall of fame”. Members of the public were invited to bring their own photographs of themselves or friends and family members who have had a connection with Gwynedd and Liverpool © Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor


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Gwynedd - Liverpool

Tegid also conducted research into what

relevant institutions held in relation to

Gwynedd-Liverpool connections. He visited

Liverpool Record Offi ce, Merseyside Maritime

Museum, Museum of Liverpool Life, St Fagans

National History Museum, the National Library

of Wales, Bangor University Archives, Anglesey

Archives Service, Caernarfon Maritime

Museum, Heathfi eld Road Chapel Liverpool

as well as identifying material in our county

collections at the Gwynedd Record Offi ces in

Caernarfon and Dolgellau and the Gwynedd

Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor.

Themes With such a wide range of material available,

it was decided that we would use themes

as a way of examining the connections and

organising the material. The themes chosen

were: maritime, trade and commerce, religion,

education, travel and tourism, and culture and

leisure. Each theme examines the ways Welsh

identity has been shaped by the city and how

the city of Liverpool has been shaped by the

Welsh community living there.

The initial fi ndings from the open days and the

research brought both expected and

unexpected results. For example, many

people had stories and ephemera relating to

the Blitz and of evacuation from Liverpool to

north Wales. Experiences of nursing and

teaching in Liverpool were frequent amongst all

the open days held and yet little or no artefacts

or photographs came in that illustrated such

experiences. As expected, the signifi cant role of

the chapels in the sustaining of Welsh

communities was refl ected in very little cultural

material brought in– programmes and ceramics

being the most prominent. One exception was

a note book written by Kate Evans, a Liverpool

based missionary who comments on the moral

character, regularity of chapel going and

instances of drunkenness of individuals from

the Welsh community in the early 1900s.

ExhibitionThe material identifi ed through the research

and from the open days has formed the

exciting exhibition, held at the Gwynedd

Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor in September

and October 2008. The Welsh Assembly

Government’s Minister for Heritage Alun Ffred

Jones and Reverend Dr D. Ben Rees, Liverpool

offi cially opened the exhibition on Saturday, 6

September. Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones

said:

“Local history is fascinating because it is about

the lives of ordinary people rather than the

exploits of kings and nobility. This exhibition

is really special because of the input of local

people. They have truly taken ownership of

their own story.”

The visually stimulating exhibition is

complemented by oral histories and loaned

original documents and objects. There are also

hand sheets with extra information such as

extracts from a sailor’s letters to his mother

which give a fl avour of the hardships and

excitement of a life at sea in the 1880s.

Interactive exhibitionOne section called ‘did you know’ has a range

of miscellaneous, quirky facts about the

connections between Gwynedd and Liverpool

to which people are encouraged to contribute

their own interesting facts.


14

Gwynedd - Liverpool

Another section of the exhibition to which

visitors are encouraged to contribute is the ‘hall

of fame’ wall. Visitors are encouraged to bring

in photographs and stories of people – their

friends or family members perhaps who have

a Gwynedd-Liverpool connection. It is hoped

that by making it a ‘living’ exhibition, previously

hidden connections or stories can be brought to

light. Such ‘hidden’ heroes, who, for reasons of

class or gender, rarely make it into the formal

record books of history can now have their

place in history. We hope to celebrate them

here.

In addition, a variety of events are planned

that will complement the exhibition: a lecture

series, worksheets for children, art and

literature based workshops for school children

and adults, a souvenir leafl et of the exhibition,

a reminiscence evening and an acoustic night

of music inspired by Liverpool. It is hoped that

material collated for the exhibition can live on

after the exhibition through condensed touring

versions, a publication and a website.

The public response to the exhibition has been

overwhelmingly positive. Those who have their

own stories to tell of their connections with

Gwynedd have been able to do so, whilst

visitors with little knowledge of the historical

ties say they have learnt and been inspired by

the exhibition. The scale and nature of the

connections may have changed through time,

but it is clear that they continue. We hope that

this timely exhibition celebrates them to the

full.

Esther Elin Roberts, Curator

Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor

01248 353 368


www.gwynedd.gov.uk/museums/

Group of evacuees from Liverpool who werestaying in Penisarwaun near Caernarfon.© Norah O’Brien


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Resident Genius

Creative residentsResidential artists and writers explore avenues

for the institution as well as for the

participants.

Blue MacAskill, current artist in residence at

the National Library of Wales, sees the task

partly to turn the gaze inward, as well as

outwards.

She explains: “I had a wonderful meeting with

Andrew Green, the Librarian. He described

the project in a visual metaphor, with the front

of the building on hinges and opened to the

public like a book. This was a fascinating and

beautiful analogy.

“The Library is here to be discovered, and a

residency can penetrate secrets and stories

from the collection and deliver them to an

audience in a specifi c way, through the

processes of art.”

Opening the same doors to a different visiting

artist year after year can provide a rich and

varied tapestry of views on the institution, its

collections and its place in history. Plas

Newydd in Llangollen, Denbighshire has

benefi ted from a variety of residencies over the

last eight years, featuring a printmaker,

artist, writer, sculptor, book artist,

environmental artist, textile artist, wood carver

and a stained glass artist.

In this article three different examples of artists

and writers in residence provide a glimpse of

the value of these schemes.

Resident Genius

Museums, archives and libraries have often invited creative individuals into their institutions

to explore their collections and increase engagement with visitors and staff. The advantages

of creative residencies are explored through examples from across Wales.

Diary extract by Ann Bridges, artist in residence in Plas Newydd 2008© Denbighshire County Council


16

Resident Genius

The ‘Pen-y-Dreadful’

Experience

During the last three years Merthyr Tydfi l

Library Service has run the Book Wave scheme

where visiting authors worked with Year 6

children to stimulate an interest in reading,

provide children with a shared reading

experience and provide tips on writing book

reviews.

One of these authors was Cat Weatherill who

describes herself and her work as: “Lively and

great fun!” Over the years Cat has done a lot

of work with Merthyr Tydfi l libraries and she

was a natural choice for mentor to the Pen-y-

Dreadfuls – our fi rst reading group with

teenagers. Teenagers are generally perceived as

a diffi cult age group to reach but with Cat on

offer we had ten eager 12-15 year olds

interested in taking part.

Over the past 18 months, Cat and I have

visited the reading group at their school and

it was Cat’s idea to use a play on the words

‘The Penny Dreadful’ – the macabre and cheap

magazines produced in the Victorian era - to

call the group The Pen-y-Dreadfuls. This linked

in with one of the group’s favourite books

(‘Montmorency’ by Eleanor Updale) and also

to the name of their secondary school ‘Pen y

Dre’, on the Gurnos estate. Some members of

the group produced their own stories that could

feature in a Penny Dreadful – ‘Rat the Ripper’

and ‘Criminal Rating: Dangerous’.

All participants gained something from the

reading group. Rea Hughes (15) said: “Being

part of the Reading Group has boosted my

confi dence and my ability to express my

thoughts and I have made many new friends.

I’ve really enjoyed reading different types of

books and visiting the Hay-on-Wye Festival this

year. I especially hope that after watching our

DVD, children will be inspired to join a group

and see what reading has to offer.”

It is easy to forget that young adults have a

voice with ideas to help us improve our library

services. As a lasting reminder of their time

together the reading group at Pen y Dre High

School made a DVD with Cat Weatherill and

Merthyr Tydfi l Libraries. It captures their energy

and enthusiasm, all of which was down to

having a writer in residence. The project was

funded by the Basic Skills Agency and Take

Two Productions produced the DVD.

If you would like to receive a free copy of ‘Book

Buzz’ DVD to kick-start your reading group,

contact [email protected] or ring

01685 723057.

Karen Pugh, formerly Customer Services Librarian, Merthyr Tydfi l Library Service, now with Caerphilly Library Servicewww.merthyr.gov.uk

A screen shot from Book Buzz DVD© Merthyr Tydfi l Library Service


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Resident Genius

Two Halves of A Whole: Evolved photograph by Blue MacAskill 2008 and John Challinor 1956 Black and White Photograph © ‘Other Rooms, Other Voices Exhibition’ – National Library of Wales 2008

Blue MacAskill, National Library of Wales

Art Medium: Film, Photography and Sculpture

I was appointed in January 2008 to work for a

year as the Artist in Residence in the National

Library of Wales. The project culminates in a

public piece of art, an event, sculpture, a fi lm

to document my time here and my fi ndings

from the collection and an exhibition to refl ect

my thoughts back to the visiting public. I am

also working with four schools during the year.

My job is partly to make the Library a less

intimidating place, for children and adults, and

also to help show personal connections to the

diverse collections it holds. I have visited the

schools several times, and they have come to

the Library for visits as well. They will be

contributing to the fi nal exhibition to show

what they have learnt about the Library.

Being in a residency can be quite

challenging, as it involves working in an

unknown setting, with different expectations

and situations. The recipe of practitioner and

institution is an amazing concoction and is

completely different every time, even in the

same place. That is why it is very popular for

residencies to be repeated in the same venue,

with different artists, time after time. This

makes for an extraordinary way that a building

or institution can mark itself in history and see

itself from an outsider’s point of view.

As an artist in residence I make my way

through hundreds of years of research,

compiling ideas and drawing parallels between

people and places, to refl ect back to the

institution what it stands for and how the

public perceive it. I make artworks in response

to the world around me. I am also very aware

of people, family and place in history and

Turning inside out: how residencies help an

institution fulfi l its full potential


Resident Genius18

Multi-media work by Becky Adams, artist in residence in Plas Newydd 2003© Denbighshire County Council

am very interested in the idea of legacy as a

theme. I have discovered my own personal

connections with some of the people that

feature in the collections of the National Library

and I hope some of the school children will

begin to make their own connections with this

amazing institution.

Events:Exhibition 24 November 2008 – 31 January 2009. Other Rooms, Other Voices: A resident

artist’s refl ections exploring the journey from

vault to reading room.

Performance ‘Engagement’ 8-13 December 2008. Blue in action in the Education Room

Film night - 29 January 2009

With the National Screen and Sound Archive,

Aberystwyth Art School and emerging Welsh

artists.

Blue MacAskill’s residency was made possible by Safl e and was funded by the Arts Council Wales. www.safl e.com

www.bluemacaskill.comwww.llgc.org.uk/bluemacaskill

“You’re never alone in

the house that’s alive”

From ‘Y Ty Byw’ by Twm Morys, writer in

residence at Plas Newydd, 2001

Plas Newydd, Llangollen, is a visual feast, from

the impact of the black and white house and

the dramatic backdrop of the romantic ruins of

Castell Dinas Bran looming behind and above,

to the swirls and curves of the patterns

enriching the jigsaws of carved wood and

stained glass that adorn its interior. It is an

obvious site for an artist in residence to be

inspired, and to help inspire others. The site

has hosted different artists since 2000 during

Museums and Galleries Month to:

1) encourage visitors to look at the house, the

enigmatic story of the Ladies of Llangollen

and the collections in new ways;

2) extend the life of the project by taking a

piece created during each residency into the

museum’s collection;

3) support the artists in developing their own

work.

Initially the main challenge for the artists was

the lack of proper studio space on site! Over

time the various resident artists and

writers have worked in hired marquees, a

former cowshed, the Plas Newydd porch and

on my kitchen table in the evenings! However,

in 2007 a fl exible education space on site was

created with funding from the Arts Council of

Wales and Objective One.

Ann Bridges was the Artist in Residence for

2008 with ‘Painted Ladies’. The Ladies kept

journals and notebooks containing interesting

and quirky observations of their life together,

following their ‘elopement’ from Ireland in

1778. Ann’s work was based around the


“Lotte” by Ann Bridges, artist in residence in Plas Newydd 2008© Denbighshire County CouncilSee also inside cover showing a quilt from this project

keeping of a sketch book diary making

reference to The Ladies, their house and

gardens. Ann keeps sketch book diaries as an

important part of her professional practice but

also as an ongoing family archive. She was also

commissioned to produce a work

commemorating the 75th year of Plas Newydd

being open to the public. It will be added to the

body of art produced by the former residencies

already in the museum’s collections as

examples of inspiration drawn from the site.

All of the artists have produced work that is

unique yet appropriate to the site, and

Denbighshire Heritage Service is particularly

proud of this aspect of the project. The

Ladies’ unconventional approach to life and the

dramatic way they used art to transform their

environment is a unique artistic motivation that

the Artist in Residence project was established

to exploit. Each residency at Plas Newydd has

been important in bringing the collections, house

and gardens closer together, and making them

more accessible to the public.

Rose McMahon, former Curator and Research Offi cer (Rose has now moved on from Plas Newydd)New contact details are:Susan DalloeMuseum Development Offi cerDenbighshire Heritage ServiceE: [email protected]: 01824 708274www.denbighshire.gov.uk


Focus on ... Training

Focus on … Training

Training, from one-day courses to fi ve-year

part time degree qualifi cations, is important,

not only for improving your skills, but also

for improving the service users of museums,

archives and libraries receive. In recognition of

this CyMAL runs a free training and

development programme open to all those

working in the sector in Wales, covering a wide

range of training topics. In addition, CyMAL

provides bursaries for those in the sector to

attend specifi c accredited courses such as

courses run by Public Service Management

Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government

division which provides opportunities to help

build the capacity of managers and leaders

across public services in Wales.

BursariesWithin the library sector the Libraries for Life

Workforce Development strand provides

bursaries for a range of qualifi cations, from

vocational qualifi cations to distance learning

degree courses in library and information

studies. Research into the public library

workforce in Wales (D. Hywel E. Roberts,

2006) revealed that there are some key areas

for attention including ICT skills (information

and communication technology), customer

services skills, leadership and succession

planning. The bursaries have been made

available to tackle this skills-shortage.

The bursaries also support individuals with

their Continuing Professional Development

(CPD). The new CILIP Framework offers a

fl exible approach to CPD, and the CyMAL

bursary scheme offers opportunities to gain

qualifi cations and accreditation which can lead

to recognition of professional status.

The CyMAL Workforce Development Plan

supports the Sector Skills Councils (Lifelong

Learning UK for libraries and archives;

Creative and Cultural Skills for museums), the

new Sector Skills Agreements, and links into

the new National Vocational Qualifi cations

being developed by each Sector Skills Council.

These new qualifi cations should be available

shortly and they will offer opportunities to gain

recognition for specialist skills gained in the

workplace.

ICT in Libraries qualifi cation fi rst in UKColeg Llandrillo Cymru in north Wales was

the fi rst institution in the UK to deliver a new

qualifi cation for librarians. The ICT in Libraries

Gaining new skills and qualifi cations is an important factor for those working in museums, archives and libraries. Denise Lavis, CyMAL’s Training & Development Adviser, outlines training opportunities along with three case study examples.

Some of the successful ICTL students with Andrew Eynon (4th from left).

20


21


(ICTL) qualifi cation was developed to meet the

need for library-specifi c ICT training, building

on the generic IT training public library staff

had received through the European Computer

Driving Licence (ECDL) qualifi cation.

The ICTL course takes one academic year to

complete. The fi rst successful cohort, who

completed in June 2007, were the fi rst in

the UK to obtain the qualifi cation. In 2008 a

further 17 candidates from a variety of library

sectors (public, FE and health) obtained the

qualifi cation, with many of them studying the

course by distance learning. In September

2008 a further 22 candidates started the

course in Wales and the college will also be

delivering the course to staff in

Liverpool Libraries & Information Service.

This course has proved popular with

candidates and employers as it meets the

need of providing library-specifi c training in

ICT. Although aimed at public library staff, the

qualifi cation is relevant to staff from all library

sectors.

The qualifi cation examines how to use ICT in

traditional library activities and is available at

two levels: Diploma and Advanced Diploma.

The Diploma consists of fi ve mandatory Higher

National Certifi cates (HNC) units:

1. Locating information on behalf of clients –

enquiry techniques and using search

engines, metacrawlers, portals and other

internet search tools to fi nd information.

2. Supporting reader development – using

online resources in reader development.

3. Supporting client learning – using online

and open learning packages.

4. Using ICT in library practice and

professional development – library

management systems, online resources for

stock selection and online resources

(websites, online journals, web 2.0

technologies) for CPD or professional

awareness.

5. Supporting clients in the safe and legal use

of ICT – freedom of information, data

protection, supporting ICT use in libraries,

and accessibility of online resources.

The Advanced Diploma consists of the fi ve

Diploma units above plus two additional

Higher National Diploma (HND) units:

6. Net Navigator – a more detailed information

searching unit. Or

7. Net Educator – teaching information skills to

groups of learners.

8. Refl ective Account – a 3,000-5,000 word

refl ective account on how the skills learnt on

the course can be (and are being) used in

your workplace.

The course is supported and delivered as

distance learning using Coleg Llandrillo’s

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Moodle:

http://moodle.llandrillo.ac.uk

“I must comment on how successful and

relevant the fi rst group of our staff... felt the

ICTL course has been to them in their

everyday working environment. Too often I

feel we are criticised for concentrating on the

theory rather than the practicalities in training

for Librarianship, so it is refreshing therefore

when staff feel confi dent and are

complimentary about the course.”

Wayne John, Operational

Manager, Libraries & Museums,

Neath Port Talbot Cultural Services



The Higher Education ICTL qualifi cation was

developed by the Scottish Library & Information

Council and is awarded by the Scottish

Qualifi cations Authority and is recognised

across the UK. The course has a website

developed using interactive teaching materials

and examples taken from across the UK:

www.ictl.org.uk

Please contact me (or see the websites) for

further details.

Dr Andrew Eynon

Library Resource Manager, Coleg Llandrillo

Cymru


ICTL Diploma StudentPrior to starting the ICTL course, I often felt

that my skills and knowledge base were limited

when helping library users. I could usually help

to a certain degree but often found that for the

query to be fully satisfi ed it required more skill

than I possessed.

I expected that completing the ICTL course

would provide an organised and structured

method of improving my ICT knowledge and

developing my skills.

As soon as I started the course - thanks to a

CyMAL bursary - I found I was able to apply

what I had learnt immediately. For example

the fi rst unit ‘Locating information on behalf of

clients’ provided reference interview techniques

giving me the ability to ensure I knew exactly

what I was looking for, moving on to

formulating a search strategy and proceeding in

a structured, logical fashion to fi nd the required

information.

I was also able to learn about subjects that

I had previously been unfamiliar with, such

as reader development and supporting client

learning. This has enabled me to help library

users fi nd and explore their options for

information sources and acquisition of skills.

It was also benefi cial to meet staff from

different libraries: we were able to support

each other and share our experiences.

After completing the course I was able to think

in a more considered fashion about my future

continuing professional development, and I am

able to plan and search out courses and

experience relevant to my needs and those of

the library service.

Jane Scott, North Wales NHS Trust,

Glan Clwyd Hospital.

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23


Neuro Linguistic Programming I am now a qualifi ed Neuro Linguistic

Programming (NLP) Practitioner, thanks to

CyMAL, the National Library of Wales and

HumanTechnics. As the Systems Manager at

the National Library of Wales my daily work

includes management, planning, team leading

and change management. During a previous

training programme, a facilitator recommended

looking at NLP.

NLP has close links to both coaching and

accelerated learning techniques. The aims of

the NLP Practitioner Course at the University of

the West of England are:

• Develop effective solutions and strategies to

business issues and challenges

• Gain high levels of self awareness and

strategies for delivering high performance

• Motivate, engage and lead individuals and

teams into high performance

• Appreciate diversity and how to maximise the

contribution of self and others

• Negotiate with and infl uence others

effectively

• Sell – ideas, plans, products

• Create and deliver polished formal

communications

The 10 day course (split into three blocks) was

residential and the company advocates small

groups of six to 10. My fellow NLPers came

from a variety of backgrounds including senior

NHS managers, a company director, and a

trainer working internationally for an IT

consultancy. We had a lot of fun – and are

keeping in touch to discuss our progress back

at work, with a further meeting scheduled.

NLP begins by working on a personal level

with each individual’s view of the world. It

makes you rethink some of your

preconceptions and persuades you to use

language in a positive manner. Using

positive language techniques in the work place

has produced good results. I am also aware

that I am preparing for meetings in a different

way and placing a new emphasis on defi ning

signifi cant outcomes. I am intending to build

on the knowledge and new skills that I attained

by following a Masters Level coaching course

based partly on NLP.

Kathryn Murphy, National Library of Wales

To receive further information aboutdevelopment opportunities for museums,archives and libraries please contactDenise Lavis, Training & Development Adviser, CyMALE: [email protected]: 01970 610227

Useful links and resources• CyMAL training programme

www.wales.gov.uk/cymal

• CILIP Qualifi cations and Professional

Development

www.cilip.org.uk/qualifi cationschartership/

• LLUK Qualifi cations & Standards

www.lluk.org/home/3074.htm

• CCSkills Qualifi cations & Standards

www.ccskills.org.uk/projects/qualifi cations.html

• PSMW

http://wales.gov.uk/psmwsubsite/psmw/?lang=en


Master class

Why can’t we keep everything?Appraisal is one of the fundamental skills of the

archivist. It involves the assessment of

material and the selection of a proportion of it

for preservation. It is a heavy responsibility and

is sometimes easier to keep something “just in

case” rather than make the decision not to

preserve. However, it is neither practical nor

possible to preserve everything, especially

given the exponential increase in information

created through the use of digital technologies.

HindsightSelection decisions can have signifi cant

repercussions. For example, in Canada it

became apparent that previous archive

appraisal decisions had led to the loss of

important documents that could have

subsequently been used to prosecute Nazi war

criminals (Cook, 2002, in Cox and Wallace).

So how do we decide what should be

preserved for the future? How can we be

confi dent that we have selected the right

information? Selection decisions must not be

idiosyncratic, but be grounded in consistent

methodology and practices which are

transparent and accountable.

Master class Appraisal methodology was the subject of the

fi rst of a series of Master Classes, organised

by CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries

Wales. Archivists from across Wales attended

the training which was led by Terry Cook,

Visiting Professor in the Program in Archival

Studies, University of Manitoba, Canada,

and who is also an archival consultant. He is

known internationally for his many

contributions to a wide range of archival

subjects, including the development of a new

approach to archival appraisal.

Macro-appraisal Terry gave an overview of appraisal and an

exploration of defi nitions and contexts, and a

history of the development of appraisal values,

including macro-appraisal in Canada. This

approach came about while Terry was working

in the Canadian National Archives during the

1990s when it became obvious that the

existing appraisal techniques were no longer

functional. Demands for information were not

being satisfi ed, some records were being

destroyed inappropriately by government

departments, whilst other departments were

not appraising at all. A new approach to

appraisal was developed: not based on the

Selecting what to keep:a master class onarchive appraisalFor museum curators, archivists and librarians, selecting what to keep in theircollections is an essential skill. Here, Sally McInnes, Systems Archivist discusses the relevance of archival appraisal and the lessons learnt from a recent master class on this topic.

24


evidential or informational values of the records

themselves, but based upon the context in

which the records were created.

With macro-appraisal, a broad or “macro” view

of the information landscape is taken, with the

focus on how society acts and interacts with

its citizens and the evidence generated through

these interactions. In practical terms, this

means that the appraisal focus is placed upon

the assessment of the most important functions

and activities of the creator and interaction with

others. This assessment of the context of

creation, rather than the physical record, is

particularly relevant when appraising digital

records. Terry stressed that macro-appraisal

should not be confi ned for use in a government

context, as the methodology is appropriate for

the appraisal of personal and organisational

records as well. As a method it may also be

suitable for museum and library specialists.

The day was extremely stimulating and

generated considerable discussion about

appraisal within archival services in Wales.

There was general agreement that resource

constraints have tended to place the emphasis

on more visible services rather than on

appraisal which is a resource dependent,

“back-room activity”. It is, however, essential

and its importance should be stressed to

funding bodies. It was also agreed that macro-

appraisal has the potential to identify gaps in

the Welsh archival landscape and provide a

basis for a national collection strategy and

records management policy.

Sally McInnesSystems ArchivistNational Library of Wales

Cox, R. J. & D. A. Wallace. (Eds.) (2002). Archives and the Public Good: Accountability and Records in Modern Society. Greenwood Press.

Terry Cook outside the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

25

Master class


Historic buildings

What is climate change?The phrase ‘climate change’ describes the

changes in the world’s atmospheric conditions

since the early 1900’s. The change posing the

greatest threat to managers of built heritage

is the predicted increase in the frequency and

intensity of heavy downpours, resulting in more

cases of extreme precipitation and fl ooding.

With the effects of these changes already

beginning to cause problems across Wales,

this is a timely issue to consider.

Historic houses are under increasing pressure

to provide adequate protection for both their

fabrics and interiors, and maintaining a

climatic equilibrium is vital for ensuring future

preservation. From a conservation perspective,

water is already regarded as the environmental

agent which poses the greatest threat to

historic collections and the buildings which

house them. Climate change, therefore, has

serious implications for the conservation of

historic buildings and monuments.

Of particular concern is the ability of the

historic water disposal systems to cope with

the anticipated changes in rainfall patterns.

Past precipitation trends suggest that the

original rainwater goods installed on historic

houses were designed to cope with much lower

quantities of precipitation than that which falls

today. If the increase in precipitation continues

as predicted, the capacity of many historic

rainwater disposal systems will be exceeded

and they will begin to fail. In preparation for

this, heritage managers must understand the

design of historic rainwater systems and be

able to determine the risk posed to their

properties.

Current situationAt present, there are many publications which

Historic buildingsand the impact ofclimate change

Lucinda Williams discusses the importance ofconsidering the impact of climate change on thehistoric build environment. Her fi ndings are from her Masters dissertation in Care of Collections.

26


highlight the risks of climate change to historic

buildings, but none that offer those responsible

for these properties a method of assessing this

risk. I felt that a process was needed by which

heritage managers would be able to determine

whether the historic rainwater goods specifi c to

their property are capable of withstanding the

projected increased levels of precipitation.

Using dimensions acquired directly from the

property my research makes it possible to

determine the runoff rate and gutter capacity of

the goods installed.

While today standards govern almost every

aspect of construction, traditionally

measurements and calculations were far from

exacting. The nature of drainage systems was

determined not by accurate architectural

calculations but by the buildings size, period

and the wealth of its inhabitants. The

components of these systems were often

considered as much a decorative feature as a

functional application.

The rainwater system employed at Tredegar

House is consistent with many houses of the

Restoration period throughout the UK and

proved an ideal case study. The present

installation of rainwater goods is believed to

have remained unchanged since the roof was

reconfi gured in the early 19th century and may

even consist of some components which date

back to the property’s initial construction in the

17th century.

ResearchMy research addressed a number of concerns

voiced by heritage professionals over the

impact of climate change on historic properties.

With Wales likely to become one of the areas

worst affected by changes in precipitation, it is

important that property managers are aware of

The view of the front of Tredegar House


Historic buildings

the performance capabilities of their drainage

systems so as to avoid the severe and often

irreversible effects of rainwater penetration.

Part 1 of my investigation involved conducting

site visits to establish whether or not the

rainwater goods had already begun to struggle.

The goods at Tredegar House have endured

and survived a signifi cant number of storms

since they were fi rst installed, and summer

2007 proved to be no exception. Regular site

visits to the property found them to be under

increasing pressure from the heavy downpours

and the threat that this posed in terms of

moisture ingress was obvious. Whether this

was the result of a changing climate or

inadequate calculations on the part of the

original architects was a question that needed

answering. Although the water was not in

direct contact with the building fabric on this

occasion, the onset of heavier downpours

means that the regular maintenance of

rainwater goods becomes a vital way of

ensuring that the rainwater is being removed

as effi ciently as possible from the building.

Part 2 of this research involved calculating the

capacity of the rainwater goods. A series of

calculations were carried out using data

derived from architectural drawings, aerial

photographs and site measurements. The

calculations used are contained in BS 12056,

a standard currently used by architects and

engineers to inform the design, installation and

layout of roof drainage systems and based on

this equation:

Q = r. A. C

Where Q = rate of fl ow/water r = intensity A = effective roof area C = runoff coeffi cient

For the capacity of the goods to be exceeded,

the runoff must be greater than the gutter

capacity. The resulting data generated from the

Tredegar calculations is proof that this has

already begun to occur and the threats are

made even more severe considering that the

most vulnerable gutters are those draining the

largest roof areas and therefore have the

potential to cause signifi cant damage.Gutters after four days of heavy downpours

28


29

Historic buildings

Fifty years worth of historical data from the

surrounding area was later analysed and cross

referenced with the gutter capacities which

revealed a number of interesting observations.

With annual precipitation totals around

3000mm/year, Wales emerged as one of the

countries most likely to suffer the effects of

more frequent and intense precipitation.

Planning for the futureConclusions drawn from this research suggest

that, in the interests of long term

preservation, adaptation is a necessary

consideration. Although it may at fi rst appear a

costly and time consuming process, advanced

preparation could save heritage managers time,

money and most importantly safeguard the

collections. In the case of rainwater goods the

implementation of a regular maintenance

programme may prove to be a suffi cient short

term measure for affected properties.

However, if rainwater goods have already

begun to show signs of exceeding their

maximum capacity, plans for adaptation should

be put in place as soon as possible to avoid

serious damage to the building fabric.

Annual Precipitation Totals for Newport, South Wales 1900 - 2006

Lucinda Williams

Education and Events Offi cer (Oriel y Parc,

Pembrokeshire)

T: 01437 725082


Useful resources:

British standards:

• BSI, 2004, BS 460:2002 Cast iron

rainwater goods – Specifi cation, BSI.

• BSI, 2007, BS EN 12056-3:2000 Gravity

Drainage systems inside buildings – Part 3,

BSI.

Additional information:

• Cassar, M. (2005). Climate Change and the

Historic Environment. Centre for Sustainable

Heritage: London.

• Farrar, JF & Vaze, P (eds). (2000). Wales:

Changing Climate, Challenging Choices – a

scoping study of climate change impacts in

Wales, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff.

Available at www.ukcip.org.uk

• Society for the Protection of Ancient

Buildings http://www.maintainyourbuilding.

org.uk/index.php


Spotlight on CyMAL30

In October 2007 the sponsorship function for Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales and the National Library of Wales transferred to CyMAL from another Welsh AssemblyGovernment division. The functions areoverseen by two existing heads of teams:Lesley-Anne Kerr and Huw Evans. Theirsponsorship roles involve liaising with the museum or the library and monitoring their progress against the aims that have been agreed jointly between them and Minister for Heritage Alun Ffred Jones.

Tom Cosson - Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales Sponsorship AdviserTom acts as the link between the WelshAssembly Government and Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. His responsibilities also include administration of the Government Indemnity Scheme in Wales. Tom has lived in Ceredigion for four years, is a fl uent Welsh learner and has recently completed an MA in Heritage Management. In his spare time he enjoys travel, music, photography and following the misfortunes of Norwich City Football Club.T: 01970 610229E: [email protected]

Menna Dyfi Breese - Amgueddfa Cymru -National Museum Wales Sponsorship Offi cerMenna joined CyMAL in July. Her role includes assisting with the sponsorship of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales as well as playing a key role in the administration of the Government Indemnity Scheme in Wales. Menna has a degree in Psychology from the University of Bangor and is a member of the cerdd dant

group Lodesi Dyfi (cerdd dant is a traditional form of singing to a harp accompaniment), Young Farmers and Aelwyd Bro Ddyfi .T: 01970 610234E: [email protected]

Rebecca Johnson - National Library of Wales Sponsorship AdviserRebecca is enjoying developing both herknowledge of the National Library and Welsh language skills in her new role as a linkbetween the Library and the Welsh Assembly Government. A graduate in History and Fine Art, Rebecca enjoys salsa dancing and cooking, and is a qualifi ed fencing coach. She is also in the fi rst year of a distance learning MA course in Interpretation.T: 01970 610231E: [email protected]

Geraint Evans - National Library of WalesSponsorship Offi cerAfter a brief spell in another division of the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff Geraint returned to his home town of Aberystwyth to work for CyMAL. Initially PA to the Director, Geraint now works in the National Library of WalesSponsorship Team. Geraint studied for ajoint-honours degree in Welsh and WelshHistory at Cardiff University. He enjoys watching his beloved Swansea City play, walking in the Cambrian Mountains, and listening to music of all kinds.T: 01970 613641E: [email protected]

Meet the team:

Sponsorship

colleaguesLeft to right: Rebecca, Tom, Geraint and Menna


Museums Archives and Libraries Wales Magazine Legacies That Last exhibition

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