Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum
Representing Wales
What We Do
The Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) is a grouping of Chief Librarians and Directors of Information Services drawn from all the higher education institutions in Wales along with the National Library of Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales and the Open University in Wales.
WHELF’s mission is to promote library and information services co-operation, to encourage the exchange of ideas, to provide a forum for mutual support and to help facilitate new initiatives in library and information service provision.
WHELF Groups
Each group has representation from WHELF member libraries and completes a terms of reference detailing membership and objectives with a Chair to convene and coordinate meetings and distribute tasks to group members. The work of the groups is directed by the WHELF Action Plan and in turn the groups refer any issues for discussion to WHELF.
Shared LMS
Members of the WHELF Consortium employ a single Library Services Platform, following the selection of Ex Libris as their provider in 2014. The consortium has benefitted from cost savings and increased collaboration since its formation.
WHELF Board meets three times a year, twice residentially and once in a day meeting or online.
WHELF Events 2025
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WHELF Members
- Aberystwyth University
Martin Taylor
Library Collections, Spaces, and Systems Manager
- National Museum Wales
Kristine Chapman, Principal Librarian
- Bangor University
Tracey Middleton, Library Collections Manager
- Cardiff Metropolitan University
Mark Hughes, Head of Library Services.
- Cardiff University
Gareth Owen, Interim Director (Operations)
- National Library of Wales
Owain Rhys Roberts, Deputy Chief Executive and Librarian (Collections and Public Programmes)
- The Open University Library and The Open University in Wales
Gary Elliott-Cirigottis, Director Of Library Services
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Judith Dray, Head of Library Services
- Swansea University
Robin Armstrong-Viner, Associate Director: Head of Libraries
- University of South Wales
Lynne Evans, Associate Director: Head of Library Services
- University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Alison Harding, Executive Head of Library and Learning Resources
- Wrexham University
Zoe Collyer, Learning and Digital Support Manager
WHELF Groups
WHELF has established a number of groups to help provide expert advice and to support WHELF in its collaborative tasks.
Each group has representation from WHELF member libraries and completes a terms of reference detailing membership and objectives with a Chair to convene and coordinate meetings and distribute tasks to group members. The work of the groups is directed by the WHELF Action Plan and in turn the groups refer any issues for discussion to WHELF.
WHELF
Access & Borrowing Schemes
Higher education students and staff can access most of our libraries via SCONUL Access
Who are WHELF?
Action Plan
Our action plan is a working document, and constantly evolving.
Constitution
WHELF has a constitution, which you can read by clicking here.
Strategic Plan
Read our 2024-2030 Strategic Plan for WHELF.
Meetings
WHELF meets three times a year, twice residentially and once in a day meeting or online.
Annual Reports
Our annual reports can be found on the following page here.
Articles on WHELF
There are many published articles on WHELF, which you can read here.
Read our Latest News
WHELF Colloquium 2026
The 2026 WHELF Annual Colloquium was held online to maximise accessibility and respond to ongoing staffing and financial pressures across the higher education sector. The event brought together colleagues from Wales, the wider UK, and Ireland—including...