Scottish Government support for library projects
17 Jan 2022 10:27 AM
Over 30 public and school libraries across Scotland have been awarded Scottish Government funding to deliver a range of innovative projects including initiatives to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development.
The Public Library Improvement Fund and the School Library Improvement Fund are annual awards set up by the Scottish Government and administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council. This year nearly £400,000 has been awarded through the two funds.
Sustainable projects backed by the Public Library Improvement Fund include East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure’s The Root Cause Project, which received £14,240 to transform an outdoor space at Thornliebank library into a sustainable community allotment and multi-functional space.
Funds for school libraries were awarded to projects championing anti-racism and anti-discrimination.
These included Prestwick Academy Library and Ayr Academy Library’s project Read Woke Primaries to curate a wider range of contemporary fiction written by, and about, people from minority groups.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said:
“Libraries play a key role in our communities and our schools and projects funded through these awards will help to improve the services they can offer.
“Promoting sustainability is integral to our Net Zero ambitions to tackle climate change and our public libraries are an important focal point for conversations and taking action.
“And as part of our wider approach to creating anti-racist environments in school, it is great to see school libraries engaging our young people on the importance of belonging, inclusion and social justice.”
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive at the Scottish Library and Information Council, said:
“As we begin to rebuild our society following the pandemic, school and public libraries are an essential part of the recovery process to ensure our future social and economic well-being.
“We’re particularly proud to provide funding awards to projects that promote sustainable development in public libraries and champion anti-racism and anti-discrimination across school libraries as examples of how libraries can make a valuable contribution to Scotland’s social fabric.”
Background
Funds have been awarded annually to public libraries since 2006 through the Public Library Quality Improvement Matrix which became the Public Library Improvement Fund in 2014. The School Library Improvement Fund was launched by the Scottish Government in 2017.
The Scottish Library and Information Council is the advisory body to the Scottish Government and its role is to support and promote the social and economic development of Scotland’s communities.
The total amount for projects from the two funds comes to £398,142.
Public Library Improvement Fund awards
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Leisure and Culture Dundee - Libraries
Fintry Tool Library
Amount awarded: £1,404
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East Lothian Libraries
Libraries at Play
Amount awarded: £5,500
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East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure – Libraries
The Root Cause Project
Amount awarded: £14,240
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High Life Highland – Libraries
Books and Beats
Amount Awarded: £5,500
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Inverclyde Libraries in partnership with Barnardo’s
Play Together
Amount awarded: £17,600
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North Ayrshire Libraries
What’s Your Story – 22 for 22
Amount awarded: £29,800
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Culture Perth & Kinross – Libraries
Culture & Heritage Connections
Amount awarded: £14,800
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South Ayrshire Libraries
Jock Tamson’s Bairns
Amount Awarded: £9,200
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South Ayrshire Libraries
Climate for Change
Amount Awarded: £26,610
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Stirling Libraries in partnership with Stirling University
Making a Difference
Amount Awarded: £46,568
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West Dunbartonshire Libraries
Towards a Sustainable Future
Amount Awarded: £21,435
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West Lothian Libraries in partnership with Heriot Watt University
Eco-Ableism
Amount Awarded: £6,000
Total: £198,657
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School Library Improvement Fund awards
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Aberdeen
School: Dyce Academy
Project: Hear a Story / Tell a Story
Award: £4,000
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School(s): Aberdeen City Libraries / Harlaw Academy with Holocaust Educational Trust Erika's suitcase
Award: £8,000
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Angus
School: Arbroath Academy plus others
Project: OPEN – a book, your eyes, your world
Award: £1,630
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Borders
School: Arbroath Academy plus others
Project: OPEN – a book, your eyes, your world
Award: £1,630
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School: Eyemouth High
Project: Get Woke
Award: £8,150
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Dumfries and Galloway
School: North-West Community Campus NWCC
Project: Bringing Diversity, Racial Equality to the NWCC Young adult Book Group
Award: £8,150
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East Lothian
School: Musselburgh Grammar
Project Award: Digital Storybag
Award: £4,900
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School: Lethams Mains Primary with EL Council
Project Award: The Borrowers Bus
Award: £9,000
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Falkirk
School: Bonnybridge Primary
Project: Bonnybooks: For a’ Jock Tamson’s Bairns
Award: £24,940
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Fife
School: Bell Baxter Cluster
Project: Racial Equality Transition Project
Award: £9,000
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School: Carleton Primary
Project: The Same Page – connecting families to promote diversity and equality.
Award: £5,500
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Glasgow
School: St Albert’s Primary School & Barrowland Ballet
Project: We can be Heroes
Award: £11,120
School: Barmulloch Primary & ALN
Project: Digital and Family Learning Hub
Award: £13,000
School: Lourdes Secondary
Project: Inclusive Storytelling for Healthy Minds
Award: £15,870
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Moray
School: Forres Academy
Project: Equality, Inclusion, Diversity, and a Mentally Healthy School
Award: £3,750
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North Ayrshire
School: Auchenharvie cluster and Strathclyde Uni
Project: Keep the Heid’n’Read Even Mair!
Award: £16,400
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Perth and Kinross
School: Breadalbane Community Library/Breadalbane Academy
Project: Read It Racism
Award: £4,220
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South Ayrshire
School(s): Prestwick Academy Library and Ayr Academy Library (in collaboration with 9 primary school libraries)
Project: Read Woke Primaries
Award: £44,000
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South Lanarkshire
Schools: St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High
Project: Equal Voices using anti-racist and diverse texts in extra-curricular group discussion
Award: £5,125
Total: £199,485
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