Edinburgh Libraries awarded funding for new sustainability partnership project

Edinburgh Libraries are among the thirteen services to receive a grant from the 2024/25 Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF). Administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the fund supports initiatives designed to inspire engagement across areas such as digital upskilling, sustainability and inclusivity.

Delivered in partnership with community repair hub The Edinburgh Remakery, this new project will promote sustainability through the provision of tech donation boxes in all 28 libraries in the city. Visitors will be able to donate their old devices, which will be repaired and given a new home if possible and recycled responsibly if not.

Other projects to receive a share of the 2024/25 fund include an interactive flora trail in Orkney, equality, diversity and inclusion training in Glasgow and workshops for young people facing digital exclusion in East Dunbartonshire.

As one of few open-access spaces left in our local communities, the remit of libraries is ever-evolving and service delivery teams maintain a sharp focus on meeting the needs of modern users. The PLIF 24/25 grant, launched in August this year, prioritised applications seeking to strengthen digital inclusion and sustainability efforts, as well as Gaelic and Scots language and new Scots languages initiatives.

The projects awarded PLIF 24/25 funding include:

• ‘Innovation Station’, a new teaching hub in Aberdeen City Library
• ‘Sensory Library Services’, for library users with additional support needs in Angus
• ‘Cultural Connections’, expanding the collections of Gaelic and Ukrainian language books in Dumfries and Galloway
• ‘Creating Social Engagement through Digital Activities’ with children and young people in East Dunbartonshire
• ‘Libraries and Remakery Partnership Project’, hosting tech donation boxes throughout Edinburgh
• ‘EDI: Change-making Leadership and Practice Development in Public Libraries’, management training in Glasgow
• ‘Library Digital Learning Stations’, promoting accessible, self-paced learning opportunities in Midlothian
• ‘Tech Trolley: Outreach for Inclusive Futures’, facilitating intergenerational learning in Moray
• ‘Beyond Ramps: Creating Safe and Supportive Library Spaces For All’, tackling barriers for physically disabled library users in North Lanarkshire
• ‘Interactive Orcadian Flora Trail’, tackling social isolation in Orkney
• ‘Inclusive Libraries’, in partnership with Borders Additional Needs Group (BANG) in the Scottish Borders
• ‘Libraries Empower Connections’, taking on child poverty and digital exclusion in West Dunbartonshire
• ‘Fèis Ghàidhlig Leabharlainn’ (Libraries Gaelic Festival), literary arts workshops and events celebrating Gaelic language in the Western Isles

Alison Nolan, Chief Executive of (SLIC), said:“Public libraries offer truly diverse value to their communities. They provide access to vital services and resources, a wealth of social activities and are hubs for expression and creativity.

“Investment is so important for the continued provision of these services, and the Public Library Improvement Fund is one of the ways in which we bolster our public libraries.

“People, place and partnership are the pillars of our strategy for Scotland’s libraries, and this year’s winners captured the spirit of that vision. These thirteen projects expand on the vision of a library as solely a centre of literacy – they encourage civil engagement, expand people’s skillsets and celebrate the richness of local heritage.”

Culture Minister, Angus Robertson, added: “Libraries are at the heart of our communities, offering inclusive and accessible spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together to learn, create, and connect.

“The Public Library Improvement Fund brings important projects to life, which will make a positive impact on people. This year’s 13 innovative projects show the difference libraries can make to communities and how they can help to unlock people’s potential, increase employability and improve wellbeing.”

The Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF) is an annual £450,000 administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council on behalf of the Scottish Government that sees £200,000 given to support creative, sustainable and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland.