NATIONAL LIBRARY OF WALES
Activities
As described by the charity on the register
Founded by Royal Charter in 1907, NLW is one of the legal deposit libraries of the UK and has benefited from this status since 1911. Through this privilege, by purchase, donation or legacy it has built up a significant collection specialising in Wales, the Welsh and the other Celtic peoples that includes a wide range of media: books, records, maps, pictures, films & for the benefit of the public.
Latest income
£22.3m
Expenditure
£17.6m
Financial year end
2025-03-31
Income & spending history
As reported to the Charity Commission, by financial year end
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-31 | £17.3m | £14.1m | |
| 2022-03-31 | £18.8m | £14.8m | |
| 2023-03-31 | £17.4m | £19.4m | |
| 2024-03-31 | £21.0m | £20.0m | |
| 2025-03-31 | £22.3m | £17.6m |
Latest detailed return
Year end 2025-03-31
Income mix
| Donations & legacies | £984k |
| Charitable activities | £20.2m |
| Trading | £835k |
| Investment income | £273k |
| Total income | £22.3m |
Spending
| Charitable spend | £15.5m |
| Raising funds | £1.4m |
| Grants to institutions | £0 |
| Governance | £2.7m |
| Total expenditure | £17.6m |
Balance sheet
| Reserves | £588k |
| Total funds | £113m |
| — restricted | £111m |
| — unrestricted | £1.4m |
| — endowment | £0 |
| Total assets | £113m |
| Cash | £500k |
People
| Employees | 202 |
Classification
The charity's own register classification
What it does
- Education/training
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Environment/conservation/heritage
- Economic/community Development/employment
Who it helps
- The General Public/mankind
How it works
- Provides Human Resources
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
Source: Charity Commission for England and Wales register, 2026-07-28. Detailed figures as filed in the charity's annual return. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.