Local artist Catherine Wynne-Paton is seeking to highlight the changes being made to our public libraries and questions what kind of libraries we need for future strength.

Lost Library Border Country is the first phase in a project raising the profile of libraries and in particular Abergavenny Library, culminating in seven performances during the Monmouthshire and District National Eisteddfod.

Seedlings of plants featured in the novel Border Country, along with parts of the text will be given away en route from the library to the Eisteddfod Maes - highlighting the role librarians and libraries have in promoting growth in individuals and their communities.

Discussion on the reduction of library services and the future of libraries just seems far too quiet to Catherine, so she has created an event whose production involves librarians, friends of the library group, musicians, art students, art tutors, a print technician, graphic designer, Welsh speakers, gardeners and a publishing house to name but a few.

And now the final shape of the performance has emerged, ready to roll.

Border Country was written by Raymond Williams (1921-1988), who was a Welsh academic, novelist and critic from Pandy.

His daughter Merryn is delighted with the project and thinks it’s a wonderful idea.

Using themes from the book and in particular the presence of gardening throughout, the plan emerged to adapt a 1950’s wheelbarrow as the central prop, for text to be rolled off and the most often mentioned plants to be given out along with the text.

Art student Jasper Cousins designed, made and fitted the text roller to the barrow to hold the printed portion of the novel.

A piece of music composed especially for the performance by musician Mary Tolhurst is inspired by Border Country and will be playing from the barrow as it is wheeled. Publishers The Library of Wales have donated ten copies of Border Country towards the project, which are now available at the library to borrow.

Performances start at 11am on July 29 and 30 and August 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at Abergavenny Library and finish in the Visual Arts area of the Eisteddfod festival site.

Follow Abergavenny Library on twitter: @Abergavennyhub?You can also connect with the artist on Instagram and twitter: @wynnepaton and visit lostlibrary.name