Town lands archives service posts

The new libaries and archive service is creating 25 jobs

A national service to develop museum archives and libraries in Wales is to create 25 jobs in Aberystwyth.

The posts are part of the assembly's programme to locate hundreds of civil service posts away from Cardiff Bay.

The new department announced by Culture Minister Alun Pugh on Thursday will be based at the town's science park.

Aberystwyth is already home to the National Library of Wales, the Welsh Books Council and Wales' historical and ancient monuments commission.

The announcement follows that of assembly Finance Minister Sue Essex, three weeks ago.

She said then that hundreds of assembly jobs would be moved out of Cardiff Bay to give "visible presence throughout the whole of Wales".

Libraries and museums... need to be relevant and up-to-date to allow people to develop a love for learning and enhancing their knowledge Culture Minister Alun Pugh

The new service which came into being on Thursday is called CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales.

It will incorporate most of the work undertaken by the Council of Museums in Wales, and the Library and Information Services Council (Wales).

It will also cover all aspects of archive work in the more than 500 local museums, libraries and archives across Wales.

Mr Pugh said: "Libraries and museums are places full of information and history, but they need to be relevant and up-to-date to allow people to develop a love for learning and enhancing their knowledge.

"The newly-formed CyMAL will work to make sure that Welsh libraries, archives and museums services continue to contribute their wealth to the lives of the people of Wales. "