Digital collections and archives

Since 2003 JISC and JISC Collections have been investing in digitised content across all subject areas. This website provides an introduction to these digital collections to help academics, students, researchers and librarians understand the wealth of resources available to them. Many of the collections provide access to archive materials which are too fragile in their original format to be used so widely, or they bring together materials which are scattered throughout the world.

Take Five, Read for Ten

Ten minutes of quality reading time with a child every day can make a real difference to children’s literacy levels was the message from Education Minister Leighton Andrews at the National Eisteddfod.

Speaking at the launch of the Welsh Assembly Government’s new literacy campaign, Take Five, Read for Ten, the Minister said:

“I want children to develop a love of reading. This new campaign encourages adults to take time out of their hectic lifestyles to spend ten minutes each day reading with a child."

The campaign forms a key part of the Assembly Government’s National Literacy Plan which will be launched in the autumn.

A leaflet on Take Five, Read for Ten is being made available throughout the summer to leisure centres across Wales and will be available to all primary schools in the autumn.

The leaflet contains some top tips on how to support children in their reading which include:

• Read with your child every night.
• Join a local library for free. You'll be amazed at what's on offer – story telling, fun events and books are free to borrow.
• Follow the words with your finger as you read. Miss out words to check they are following and make them say it.
• Visit your nearest bookshop or car boot sales for bargain books.
• Reading isn’t just about books. It’s about football programmes, comics, recipes, rugby magazines, e-mails, computer games, text messages, digital story telling – they all have elements of reading

Llais digidol yn helpu pobl ddal i bori’r we yn Gymraeg

Mae Leighton Andrews, y Gweinidog dros Addysg, ac Alun Ffred Jones, y Gweinidog dros Dreftadaeth, yn lansio meddalwedd llais awtomatig yn yr Eisteddfod, sy’n galluogi i wybodaeth ar sgriniau cyfrifiadur gael ei darllen yn uchel.

RNIB Cymru sydd wedi datblygu’r Llais Synthetig Cymraeg i helpu pobl ddall a phobl rannol ddall i gael gwybodaeth ar-lein, fel amserlenni trenau.

Bydd y feddalwedd am ddim i unigolion ei lawrlwytho ac mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru wedi rhoi £80,000 i’w chefnogi.

Digital voice helps blind people surf the web in Welsh

Automated speech software - which enables information on computer screens to be read aloud in Welsh - is being launched at the Eisteddfod, by Education Minister Leighton Andrews and Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones.

The Welsh Synthetic Voice has been produced by RNIB Cymru to help blind and partially sighted people access information on-line, such as train timetables.

The software will be free for individuals to download and is supported by £80,000 of Welsh Assembly Government funding.

Website looks for social histories of Wales

A website showcasing the social history of Wales is being unveiled at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

People's Collection Wales is a bilingual gathering of experiences, pictures and video of life in Wales.

Archive material from museums has been used, but the developers are now looking for contributions from the public.

The website uses GPS technology allowing the viewer to travel a map of Wales and view artefacts in 3D.

The site will be formally launched on the Eisteddfod field in Ebbw Vale by Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones.