The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth is “not immune” to the impact of austerity, Wales’ First Minister has said, as fears of a funding “crisis” and job losses grow at the institution.

As a petition to the Welsh Assembly reaches more than 10,000 signatures, Mark Drakeford told the Cambrian News that “discussions” with library bosses continue over its future, despite the draft budget outlining no funding increase.

NLW chief executive Pedr ap Llwyd warned last year that the library will be forced to make “devastating staff cuts” if funding is not secured following a review of library operations.

The review followed 10 years of financial problems, with income decreasing steadily year on year and a 23 per cent drop in staff numbers from 2008 to 2019.

Ceredigion’s MP and MS, Ben Lake and Elin Jones, said the situation “leads to the prospect of 30 precious job losses in the library”.

“Staffing at the library has already been scaled back to the minimum and the further job losses risk jeopardising the crucial work the National Library does on behalf of the nation,” they said.

“The National Library has our full support and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure its future.”

Mr ap Llwyd said in October that the library – which has been closed to the public until at least February amid the ongoing pandemic – is “in a very precarious financial position”.

“The current crisis will lead to the implementation of a number of damaging measures to balance the budget in the long term, including the real possibility of having to reduce our workforce by up to 30 members of staff,” he said.

The petition started by Aberystwyth town councillor Sue Jones-Davies calls for the Welsh Government to provide the library with “fair funding”.

“With no increased support from Welsh Government, 30 jobs are to be cut and services seriously curtailed,” the petition reads.

Aberystwyth Town Council discussed a motion on Monday night to register its “deep concern and dismay” at the financial situation the National Library finds itself in, and rails against the job cuts which will “diminish its status on the world stage”.

Mr Drakeford told the Cambrian News that the National Library is a “wonderful institution”, but that after a decade of austerity, “no part of the public service has been able to be immune from the impact of that”.

“We have provided additional capital to the National Library to make sure the physical conditions of its collections are protected,” he said.

“We provided a significant sum of money to allow the library to become the repository for the broadcasting archive for Wales, which I was very keen to support.

“And we go on in discussions with the library authorities.”

The online petition is available to view at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/244641