Y Lolfa

Y Lolfa (Welsh for "The Lounge") is a prominent Welsh printing and publishing company based in Tal-y-bont, Ceredigion in Mid-Wales. It publishes a wide variety of books in Welsh and English while also offering a commercial print service.

The company was established in 1967 by Robat Gruffudd [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_7000000/newsid_7006000/7006049.stm|title=Y Lolfa yn dathlu'r deugain ("Y Lolfa celebrates forty years")|date=24 September 2007|work=BBC News Wales|language=Welsh|accessdate=2008-07-16] and was a product of the linguistic and political awakening that happened in Wales at the time. Using the new small offset printing method, it started producing lively, colourful material both for "Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg" (The Welsh Language Society), with which it was loosely associated, and for its own publications which included "Lol", the satirical magazine from which the company's name was derived.

The company gradually expanded the variety of its publications to include popular series' for children, contemporary novels, [cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_objectid=16800315&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=publish-and-be-damned--say-publishers-as-controversial-welsh-novel-goes-to-print--name_page.html|title=Controversial Welsh novel goes to print|last=Morgan|first=Gareth|date=11 March 2006|work=Western Mail|accessdate=2008-07-16] diaries, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/4701198.stm|title=Wrong date... but early pancakes|date=10 February 2006|work=BBC News|accessdate=2008-07-16] humorous tutors for Welsh learners, and a wide range books for tourists to Wales. It has adopted a deliberate policy of not adapting books from other languages in order to support Welsh artists and authors.

The company has also been on the forefront of technical developments. It was the first Welsh publishing company to have its own website and was closely involved with the publication of the first Welsh community paper, "Papur Pawb", in 1974. Its printing facilities currently include "Komori" 5-colour and perfecting presses.

Y Lolfa published "Llyfr y Ganrif" ("The Book of the Century") in association with the "National Library of Wales" in 1999, and recently won the "Academi" Welsh Book of the Year prize for three consecutive years. Its latest publishing venture is the "Alcemi" imprint for new fiction in the English language.

Y Lolfa is an independent, limited company now run by the founder's sons, Garmon Gruffudd (Managing Director) and Lefi Gruffudd (General Editor).

References

External Links

* [http://www.ylolfa.com/index.php?lang=en The official website of Y Lolfa]
* [http://www.alcemi.eu/alc-home.php The Alcemi website]