On the 23rd of May, Finance Minister Jane Hutt visited DigiDo at The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth to learn more about the European Regional Development Funded project. digiDo gives creative businesses in Wales the chance to create new products or services through the use of the Library’s vast collections. This includes 3.8 million digital items from newspaper pages and journals, manuscripts and archives through to artworks and photographs.
Menna Lloyd, a jewellery maker from Rhondda Cynon Taf has already benefited from the project and is currently accessing our digital archives to develop a collection of Egyptian inspired jewellery.
“I am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to be involved in the DigiDo project with the National Library of Wales. This project provides me with a huge wealth of invaluable resources to integrate into my work, and using a specialist jewellery technique I will bring new life into ancient manuscripts from the archives, by integrating them into my next jewellery collections. They will make our Welsh heritage into wearable art for today.”
During her visit, Jane Hutt was able to see for herself the vast number of intriguing items held here and the way businesses could truly gain inspiration from them.
Jane Hutt said, “At a time when there is great pressure on the public purse I am pleased that we have successfully invested EU resources to back our goals in our Programme for Government to support business to become more competitive. Helping Welsh business to exploit opportunities using new technologies and innovation will help them achieve commercial success and stimulate growth in the Welsh economy.”
For anyone wishing to learn more about The National Library’s digital collections, a visit to the library for our ‘Introduction to Digital Collections’ event on the 16 of July is a must. Myrddin ap Dafydd, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch thought that, “This event was truly a revelation to the riches housed at The National Library of Wales. I will be sure to suggest digiDo to other editors.” Register for this event at here.