Jones, from Margam in south Wales, was born in 1810 and educated at Cowbridge grammar school before attending Jesus College, Oxford, between 1827 and 1832.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree, he turned to working with books (in preference to an earlier intention of becoming a priest).
Whilst he was in charge, the library more than doubled in size (from 19,000 to 40,000 volumes) with Jones obtaining some books through his personal influence.
[1] As well as the catalogues of the library's collections, he wrote a Catalogue of the collection of tracts for and against popery (published in and about the reign of James II) in the Manchester library founded by Humphrey Chetham (1859).
He was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1866, and died on 29 November 1875.