Launch of Wales’ first bilingual platform for e-books

Launch of Wales’ first bilingual platform for e-books

A brand-new digital platform to showcase e-books from Wales has been launched by the Books Council of Wales.

ffolio.wales will be the first-ever bilingual platform to focus on selling e-books from Wales to the wider world.

The not-for-profit site launches with more than 800 fiction and non-fiction titles for children and adults, as well as educational books for children in both Welsh and English.

More than 500 of the Welsh-language books on the website are available as e-books for the first time ever, and this figure will continue to increase.

Independent bookshops in Wales will benefit from every purchase, with a percentage of each sale going directly to help support these small businesses which are so important to our high street and our communities.

Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales, Helgard Krause, said: “In launching ffolio, we are providing a not-for-profit digital platform with a unique offering – a platform hosted in Wales, where almost every single e-book stems from a Wales-based publisher. The service will help keep jobs in the publishing industry in Wales, as well as support independent bookshops which make such an important contribution to our communities and which will receive a commission on every sale.

“As a national charity dedicated to supporting publishing and promoting reading, we have a duty to ensure that readers of all ages and interests can choose books from Wales in a range of formats. ffolio affirms and widens that choice, and we are grateful to Welsh Government for funding this significant development.”

The development of ffolio is part of a two-year investment programme awarded in March 2020 by the Welsh Government through Creative Wales to enable the Books Council to upgrade its digital systems and introduce a new integrated IT system for the sale, supply and distribution of books.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “ffolio is an exciting new platform which will showcase the wealth of creative talent, make the work of Welsh authors more accessible and also benefit the publishing sector and our Welsh bookshops.  It’s very important that people have access to books in the format of their choice – especially in the current circumstances.”

The website includes a wide selection of e-books suitable for young children which will support their reading for pleasure and help develop literacy skills.

Thanks to the co-operation of publishers in Wales, more e-books will also be available to schools through the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and can be used to support lessons.

For further information or queries, please email the Books Council at ffolio@books.wales.

Local bookshops arrangements – UPDATE – January 2021

Local bookshops arrangements – UPDATE – January 2021

Independent booksellers across Wales continue to take orders online, over the phone or click-and-collect.

If you just want to curl up with a good book, our booksellers have got a fabulous selection of titles to choose from. They also offer a unique personal service and great advice on what to buy.

We’ve listed below the contact details for independent bookshops across Wales or you can click on our interactive map to find your local bookshop:

llyfrau.cymru/en/bookshops-of-wales

If you’re a bookseller in Wales and would like to add or update your details, please e-mail: post@books.wales Awen Meirion, Y Bala – www.awenmeirion.com / @AwenMeirion / www.facebook.com/awenmeirion / siop@awenmeirion.com / 01678 520658 Awen Menai, Menai Bridge – www.facebook.com/awen.menai / https://arystrydfawr.co.uk / awenmenai@gmail.com  / 01248 715532 Awen Teifi, Cardigan  –  www.awenteifi.com /  www.facebook.com/Awen-Teifi  /  archeb@awenteifi.com  /  awen.teifi@btconnect.com / 01239 621370 Book-ish, Crickhowell  –  www.bookish.co.uk  /  @Bookishcrick / 01873 811 256 /  info@book-ish.co.uk Booka Books, Oswestry – Click and Collect / Postal service available /  www.bookabookshop.co.uk Browsers Bookshop, Porthmadog  –  www.browsersbook.shop  / 01766 512066 / 07919 410678 /  ben.cowper@btconnect.com  / Facebook: Browsersbookshop / Instagram @browsersbookshopporthmadog Burway Books, Church Stretton  –  Click and Collect / Home Delivery / Postal Service available / www.burwaybooks.co.uk  / Twitter – @BurwayBooks / Instagram – burwaybooks / 01694 723388 Bys a Bawd, Llanrwst  –  https://www.bysabawd.cymru /  berry@bysabawd.cymru / 01492 641329 / Facebook: Siop Bys a Bawd Llanrwst Click and Collect service available and customers can email, phone or put an order in through the door. Caban, Cardiff   –  siopcabancanna@gmail.com / 02920 342223 Cant a Mil, Cardiff  –  www.cantamil.com  /  @siopcantamil on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook /  jo@cantamil.com  / 02920 212474  Orders taken online as they are posted out daily.  You can also click-and-collect. Please see website – open 24/7 for ordering. Castle Bookshop, Ludlow – Click and Collect / Postal service available / www.castlebookshopludlow.co.uk / 01584 872562 Chepstow Books, Chepstow  – www.chesptowbooks.co.ukshop@chepstowbooks.co.uk / 01291 625011 / Facebook: Chepstow Books & Gifts / Twitter @chepstowbooks / Click and collect available Monday-Saturday between 10.00am-2.00pm / Postal service available. Cofion Cynnes, Ystradgynlais  –  Cynthia.davis@talktalk.net  / 01639 849581 College Street Books, Rhydaman  –  07434 975578 /  www.facebook.com/CollegeStreetBooks Courtyard Books, Llangollen –  courtyardbooksllangollen@gmail.com  / 07966 250275  / Facebook: courtyardbooksllangollen Cover to Cover, Mumbles  –  www.cover-to-cover.co.uk  /  sales@cover-to-cover.co.uk   /  https://twitter.com/CovertoCoverUK  / 01792 366363 Cowbridge Books, Cowbridge  –  cowbridgebookshop@btconnect.co.uk  / https://www.facebook.com/thecowbridgebookshop/  01446 775105 Croeso Cynnes (T-Hwnt), Carmarthen –  croesocynnes@outlook.com / 01267 231133 / 07976 234176 / www.facebook.com/CroesoCynnes  / Instagram @CofionCynnes Cwpwrdd Cornel, Llangefni  –  dylanmorgan28@gmail.com / 01248 750218 / 07391 814235 Cwtsh, Pontyberem  –  www.facebook.com/YCwtsh / post@y-cwtsh.co.uk / 01269 871300 Cyfoes, Rhydaman  –  www.facebook.com/Cyfoes  /  eleribowen@cyfoes.cymru / 01269 595777 Eaves and Lord Bookshop, Montgomery – 01686 668918 /  Barrylord1965@btinternet.com Elfair, Rhuthun  – 07976 981490 / 01824 702575 / 01824 707214 /  elfair@boyns.cymru  / Facebook: Siop Elfair / Instagram @siopelfair  Click and collect available on Friday and Saturday between 11.00-2.30pm.  Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, email or by telephone. Ffab, Llandysul  –  www.ffabcymru.co.uk  /  post@ffabcymru.co.uk  / 01559 362060 Great Oak Bookshop, Llanidloes  –  https://greatoakbooks.co.uk  /  https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatOakBookshop  / 01686 412959 or via website Contact Form or Facebook message  Click and Collect available until 4.00pm on 24 December 2020.  Re-open on Monday, 4 January 2021.

Griffin Books, Penarth – www.griffinbooksonline.co.uk / info@griffinbooks.co.uk / 02020 706455 / Facebook: Griffin Books / Instagram @griffinbooksUK / Twitter @griffinbooksUK Click and collect available for prepaid orders from 9.00am-5.00pm, Monday to Saturday and also postal orders fulfilled as normal. You can order in advance via their online shop, email or phone – they cannot make new sales at the door.

Giggles, Barry  –  www.facebook.com/Giggles-Barry-479792188748220  /  jillmathews56@gmail.com / 01446 734866 Gwisgo, Aberaeron  –  www.gwisgobookworm.co.uk  /  info@gwisgobookworm.co.uk  /  www.facebook.com/GwisgoBookworm / 01545 238282 Hintons, Conwy  –  @hintons.conwy / 01492 582212  /  jenny@hintonsofconwy.co.uk Igam Ogam, Llandeilo  –  www.igamogamgifts.co.uk  / 01558 822698  /  igamogam103@gmail.com  / www.facebook.com/IgamOgam Inc, Aberystwyth  –  https://www.facebook.com/Siop-Inc-121059026497  /  mail@siopinc.com  / 01970 626200 / 07834957158 / Llên Llŷn, Pwllheli  –  01758 612907 /  llenllyn@btconnect.com  / Facebook: Llên Llŷn Llyfrau a Recordiau Llyfrau’r Enfys, Merthyr Tydfil  –   Vikki.marsh@sky.com / 01685 722176  / Facebook @llyfraurenfys Na Nog, Caernarfon  –  facebook.com/SiopNanog   / Instagram – siop_nanog / Twitter – @SiopNanog 01286 676946 /  Bethan@na-nog.com  We can offer the Click and Collect service, order from our website or over the phone until Thursday, 24 December 2020. Narberth Museum Bookshop, Narberth  –   www.narberthmuseum.co.uk  / 01834 861719 No 1 High St, Newtown  –  www.no1highstreet.co.uk  / 07866259710 Palas Print, Caernarfon  –   www.palasprint.com / @PalasPrint /  eirian@palasprint.com / 01286 674631 Click and Collect service available. Working behind closed doors – Monday-Wednesday 9:00-5.00 and 9:00-4.00 on Thursday, 24 December 2020. Paned o Gê, Cardiff –  www.paned-o-ge.cymru /  info@paned-o-ge.waleswww.twitter.com/panedoge /  https://instagram.com/panedoge Pen’rallt Gallery Bookshop, Machynlleth  –  www.penralltgallerybookshop.co.uk  /  penralltbooks@gmail.com  / 01654 700559 Pethe Powys, Welshpool  –  Facebook – Pethe Powys / 01938 554540 /  post@pethepowys.co.uk  SHOP CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Poetry Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye –  info@poetrybookshop.co.uk / 01497 821812 The Rossiter Books Team,  www.rossiterbooks.co.uk  /  iloveit@rossiterbooks.co.uk /  ross@rossiterbooks.co.uk / 01989 564464  / Facebook: Rossiter Books / Twitter: Rossiterbooks / Instagram @Rossiter_books Seaways, Fishguard  –  Seawaysorders@gmail.com  / 01348 873433 /  seawaysbooks@gmail.com Siop Clwyd, Denbigh  –  www.facebook.com/Siop-Clwyd-468077820051483  /  siopclwyd@yahoo.co.uk / 01745 813431  Click and Collect service available until 24 December 2020. Siop Cwlwm, Oswestry  –  Click and Collect on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10.00am-2.00pm / Home Delivery / Postal service available  www.siopcwlwm.co.uk  / 07814 033759 /  post@siopcwlwm.co.uk Siop Dewi, Penrhyndeudraeth –   dewi11@btconnect.com / 01766 770266 Siop Eifionydd, Porthmadog –  siopeifionydd@hotmail.com / 01766 514045  / 07496 134845 Siop Lyfrau Lewis, Llandudno  –  www.facebook.com/sioplewis  /  www.sioplewis.cymru  / @sioplewis /  helo@sioplewis.com  / 01492 877770 Siop Lyfrau’r Hen Bost, Blaenau Ffestiniog  –   henbost.blaenau@gmail.com / 01766 831802 Siop Ogwen, Bethesda  – @siopogwen / https://www.facebook.com/siopogwen  / siop@ogwen.org / 01248 208485 Siop y Pentan, Carmarthen –  busnes@ypentan.co.uk / 01267 253044  / 07951 610278 / www.facebook.com/SiopyPentan  / Instagram: Siopypentan Siop y Pethe, Aberystwyth  –  www.siopypethe.cymru  / post@siopypethe.cymru  / 01970 617120 Siop Tŷ Tawe, Swansea  –  SHOP CLOSED UNTIL 8-11-20  https://www.facebook.com/Ysioptytawe /   siop@sioptytawe.co.uk / 01792456856 Siop Sian, Crymych  –  https://www.facebook.com/SiopSian/  / steph_ellen@hotmail.co.uk / 01239 831230 Siop y Siswrn, Mold  – 01352 753200 / siopysiswrn@aol.com  / Facebook – Siop Y Siswrn / www.siopysiswrn.com  Phone and Collect service available until 4.00pm on Wednesday, 23 December 2020.  Shop will re-open on 4 January 2021. Siop Siwan, Wrexham  – https://www.facebook.com/siopsiwan/  / Email tecstiliausiwmai@outlook.com  / 07375 653387  Closed until the end of January 2021. Please contact to order and deliver items. Siop y Smotyn Du, Lampeter – Tel 01570 422587 Tenby Bookshop, Tenby – https://www.facebook.com/tenbybookshop  / 01834 843514 /  tenbybookshop@aol.com The Bookshop, Mold –  https://www.mold-bookshop.co.uk / Shop open from Tuesday to Saturday between 9.00-5.00pm The Hours, Brecon –  www.thehoursbrecon.co.uk  /  thehours@btinternet.com / 01874 622800 Tŷ’r Gwrhyd, Pontardawe –  SHOP CAN ACCEPT ORDERS BUT CUSTOMERS NOT ABLE TO COLLECT UNTIL AFTER THE LOCKDOWN  www.facebook.com/Tyrgwrhyd   / 07990 153730 / 01639 763818 /  post@gwrhyd.cymru Verzon Bookshop Gallery, Llandrindod Wells –  www.facebook.com/VerzonBookshopGallery  /  jorice2003@yahoo.com / 01597 825171   Click and Collect service available between 10.00-3.00 until 24 December.  Reopening January 2021. Victoria Bookshop, Haverfordwest  –  https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaBookshop  / 01437 762750 (mornings only) /  mail@victoriabookshop.co.uk Y Felin, Cardiff  –  Shan@siopyfelin.co.uk  / 02920 692999 /  shani.williams@live.co.uk  /  Facebook: Siopyfelin / Twitter @siopyfelin / Instagram @y_felin Ystwyth Books, Aberystwyth  – 01970 639479 / 07590 764115 /  www.facebook.com/YstwythBooksystwyth.books@btconnect.com