National Identity and the Digital Library: a Study of the British Library and the Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru

Abstract

This paper examines the digital presence of two national libraries, the British Library and the Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru (National Library of Wales), and the means by which the perceptions of national identity and heritage can be seen to influence the choices made regarding the digitization of specific collections. It begins with an examination of the constructed nature of national identity and heritage. Then a brief study is made of the histories of the two nations in question, Britain and Wales, and the connections and struggles between the two that have influenced formations of identity. Using this historical background, a study is made as to the digital holdings of each institution, including a comparison of the type, amounts and means by which items have been digitized, as well as the stated aims of the institutions as to their own understanding of their mission and remit in terms of the audience they perceive they serve. Finally, a comparison is made of the two institutions, and conclusions reached as to the ways in which the historically constructed myths of national identity can be seen as reflected in the individual choices made regarding the preservation and digitization of their collections.