His Majesty The King, FNL's Royal Patron, is well known for his love of reading and places great importance on the preservation of our written and printed heritage for the benefit of the public and future generations.
The Fund was established as in 2016, its original name being the The Prince of Wales Fund. During 2016 £1m was raised and the fund has been added to in the years since then, providing additional income to support FNL's grant-giving in perpetuity.
The new Fund is helping to transform FNL’s ability to support libraries and archives across the UK to acquire books and collections that, together, are our written and printed heritage.
When the fund was established the King, then Prince of Wales, said:
Neither Longfellow nor Shakespeare wrote for a select audience. Their work was for everyone, which is why I agreed to be Patron of this important appeal for funds by the Friends of the Nations' Libraries.
Our libraries play a crucial role in preserving the letters of writers. Collections include poems, scientific discoveries as they were scribbled down in notebooks, precious bindings and even battle plans. They keep our heritage alive by offering insight into the thinking of great writers whose work our libraries make available to everyone, now and in the future. So often presented in the guise of entertainment, their words offer us the insight and sensitivity to navigate the many challenges that life can throw at us. To let such access wither would indeed make the world an impoverished place.
Image: A portrait of HM The King by Hugo Burnand.
