‘A special milestone for a special service’
A local library success story was shared yesterday as the Library Link service celebrated it’s twentieth birthday. This popular service helps people who have difficulty getting out to access books and other library services, and it’s fitting that the celebrations centred on Muirhouse Library – for it’s there that the Link service was first established all those years ago.
Culture and Sport convener Councillor Richard Lewis and Head of Library and Information Service Liz McGettigan were among the guests who joined yesterday’s anniversary celebrations.
Library Link is a bus service for anyone who has difficulty getting to the library because of age, disability or ill-health. The free minibus picks you up from home and takes you to your local library. The bus has wheelchair access and trained staff and WRVS volunteers are on hand to give assistance on and off the bus. Readers can choose their books, and then sit down to enjoy a coffee and a chat before being taken home again.
Launched in Muirhouse Library in 1992, Library Link has proven so successful that it has been adopted by nearly every library in the Capital and is now regarded as a core part of the Libraries and Information Service. Some libraries have more than one link service, catering to those who prefer to visit on a different day of the week or time of day.
The service forms a unique partnership between City of Edinburgh Council Library and Information Services and the voluntary sector. The WRVS recruit and support volunteer escorts to accompany the link members and transport is provided by organisations such as PEP (Pilton Equalities Project) and SEAG (South Edinburgh Amenities Group).
Ellen Fisher joined Library Link while Morningside Library was closed for its recent refurbishment. She said: “It gets you out of the house and lets you meet people. Everyone is very helpful. I was finding it difficult to cope with getting the books to and from the library. The advantage is that you can borrow as many books as you want and they are carried home for you.”
For crime novel enthusiast Mary Anderson the club has become one of the few occasions she gets out and about. “I enjoy meeting everyone and it also keeps the brain active, which is very important when you get to my age,” she said.
Thursday’s celebration also saw the introduction of a new Edinburgh City Libraries brochure, ‘My library keeps me out and about’ – Library services for older people, is a new booklet from Edinburgh City Libraries providing information about the various activities and services that are available to older people in Edinburgh, or anyone who finds it difficult to use their library through disability or illness.
There are lots of ways to access the library services available, and the booklet provides information on the Library2go service, Get Up and Go, and Your Edinburgh – all services designed to keep people up to date with what is happening in their community. The booklet also outlines how library users can get involved in events and activities in their community, including the popular book groups, IT courses and activities for children and grandchildren.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Today marks a very special milestone for a very special service. Library Link has helped many, many residents over the past two decades, ensuring they can access the wide range of services on offer at their library while interacting socially with fellow service users and volunteers. I would like to pay tribute to all the volunteers, past and present, whose hard work and enthusiasm mean Library Link continues to go from strength to strength.”
Library Link’s 148 volunteers provide an incredible 10,280 hours annually to support the service, and Councillor Lewis presented awards to David Colvin and Patrick Watson, two long-standing Link volunteers. Guests were also entertained by a short film on the local Link service produced by Muirhouse Library’s Rehan Yousuf, and there were also special thanks to local Library Link member Mr Wong – the Chinese Moon Festival falls this week, so Mr Wong shared Moon Cake with Library Link guests to make it a double celebration!
Doesn’t everyone love a story with a happy ending?
Some party pictures:
Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith has pledged to help local residents living on the breadline by signing up to volunteer at a local food drive.
