School libraries across Scotland have been awarded funding totalling £200,000 for projects focused on anti-racism, diversity, and racial equality.
In 2022-23 18 initiatives across 10 local authorities will benefit from the School Library Improvement Fund grants.
These include Strathaven Academy in South Lanarkshire, which will receive £5,000 to develop a diversity and racial equality education initiative to promote and develop anti-racist education.
Ross High School in East Lothian will be supported with £50,000 for its community programme that will encourage pupils and staff to have the confidence to challenge and appropriately respond to discrimination and prejudice.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “School libraries play a key role for young people by providing access to educational resources, supporting learning and helping to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
“The School Library Improvement Fund continues to support creative and innovative projects in school libraries.
“The anti-racism focus of the projects will allow school libraries to engage with pupils on the importance of belonging, inclusion and social justice.”
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council, said: “School libraries play a valuable role in education and learning, and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential.
“Projects funded through programmes like SLIF help to improve and expand the services school libraries can provide, so it’s great to see such strong applications coming in from schools eager to further develop these resources.
“We’re particularly proud to award support to those advocating for anti-racism and anti-discrimination through this year’s Fund and we can’t wait to see these initiatives come to fruition.”
School Library Improvement Fund awards
Aberdeenshire
| Fraserburgh Academy /Fraserburgh Football Club and Aberdeen Football Club |
| Project: Widening the Pitch |
| Award: £2,700 |
Clackmannanshire
| Alloa and Lornshill Academy/Empathy Lab |
| Project: Building Empathy Through Books: Empathy Champions |
| Award: £8,942 |
East Ayrshire
| Kilmarnock Academy |
| Project: Building Racial Literacy |
| Award: £3,000 |
East Dunbartonshire
| Turnbull High School |
| Project: Exploring the Holocaust |
| Award: £3,705 |
| St Ninian’s High School |
| Project: Human Rights, Story Writes |
| Award: £4,500 |
East Lothian
| Ross High School |
| Project: Stand Up and Be Counted – Global Community; Engage, Equip, Inspire |
| Award: £50,000 |
| Preston Lodge High School |
| Project: East Lothian Black History |
| Award: £3,300 |
Edinburgh
| Edinburgh School Libraries |
| Project: The Library is Anti-Racist: A toolkit for school libraries |
| Award: £29,000 |
Glasgow
| Holy Cross Primary |
| Project: Diverse Stories |
| Award: £10,000 |
| Oakgrove Primary /WOSDEC |
| Project: Home is Here |
| Award: £17,400 |
| Shawlands Primary School / Rumpus Room |
| Project: Inclusive Creative Arts and Literacy Lounge |
| Award: £10,500 |
| St Mungo’s Primary School |
| Project: Developing the Young Workforce and celebrating the diverse community of St Mungo’s |
| Award: £14,255 |
| Glasgow Schools – All Saints Secondary School, Lochend Community High School / School of Education- University of Glasgow |
| Project: White Water Writers |
| Award: £18,730 |
Inverclyde
| Port Glasgow Campus Library/Larkfield Early Learning |
| Project: Reading Around the World |
| Award: £4,000 |
Perth and Kinross
| Inchview Primary & Nursery/ Nil by Mouth |
| Project: 383 Neeps and Tatties and Counting |
| Award: £4,650 |
| Crieff High School |
| Project: Protest Prejudice |
| Award: £10,000 |
| Lochleven Community Library/Kinross High School |
| Project: I read for…. Change, understanding , empowerment |
| Award: £3,700 |
South Lanarkshire
| Strathaven Academy |
| Project: Diversity and Racial Equality Education |
| Award: £5,000 |
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