FUNDING FOR CORSTORPHINE PRIMARY SCHOOL PROJECT
16 school libraries across Scotland are set to receive a funding boost through the 2026/27 School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF) to help pupils develop the literacy, wellbeing and digital skills needed to thrive in modern life.
Administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the fund supports creative initiatives that align with the objectives of Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools – Scotland’s national strategy for school library development.
This year’s SLIF prioritised applications which focused on:
- promoting reading for pleasure
- fostering whole-school reading cultures
- improving equity of access to books, libraries and reading experiences
- strengthening digital and information literacy, and
- supporting wellbeing, creativity and partnership working to widen engagement with reading
Funding has been awarded to 16 innovative projects spanning 13 local authorities with the successful initiatives aiming to break down barriers to learning, foster a love of reading among children and young people, promote independent thinking and support family learning opportunities.
Many of this year’s successful projects put inclusion front and centre, such as East Ayrshire’s Reading Journeys for All which will strengthen the support that those with Additional Support Needs and who have English as an additional language have access to in their school library with aids, equipment and accessible literature.
Meanwhile, St Winning’s Primary School in North Ayrshire will develop a whole-school reading culture, promoting reading for pleasure and raising engagement with books and storytelling with a particular focus on those from communities where socioeconomic barriers can significantly impact access to reading opportunities.
Education and Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “School libraries are so much more than a collection of books – they are spaces where young people discover a lifelong love of reading, build confidence and unlock new possibilities.
“I am pleased that this year’s Scottish Government-funded School Library Improvement Fund is supporting 16 innovative projects across Scotland, breaking down barriers and ensuring every child, regardless of background or needs, can access the transformative power of reading.
“I thank SLIC, schools and local authorities for their creativity and commitment. Building on over £2 million invested since the scheme began, I look forward to seeing the lasting difference these projects make to pupils, families and communities.”
Below are the successful 2026/27 SLIF projects:
- Aberdeen: Greyhope School + Community Campus – A New Chapter for Greyhope School
- Aberdeen: Orchard Brae School – Stories for All
- Dundee: across four secondary schools and associated primary schools – Read for Discovery – Supporting Transition Through Non-Fiction Texts
- East Ayrshire: Darvel Primary School – Reading for All at Darvel
- East Ayrshire: six secondary schools – Reading Journeys for All
- East Renfrewshire: Barrhead High School – Barrhead High School Book Festival – Raising the Barr through Reading
- EDINBURGH: Corstorphine Primary School – Creating a Playground Library to Encourage Reading for Pleasure, Improve Equity and Support Children’s Health and Wellbeing
- Highland: Lairg Primary School and Rosehall Primary School – Reading Schools at Lairg and Rosehall Primary
- Highland: Crown Primary School and Drakies Primary – Crown Changemakers: Beyond Barriers: Reading Reimagined: Powering Pupils to drive a Reading Revolution through Barrier Breaking Book Boxes, Inclusive ICT and Audiobook Access
- Inverclyde: Across secondary school libraries in Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire – ACTIVATE – Young Voices in Action
- North Ayrshire: St. Winning’s Primary School – Reading Beyond Walls – Creating a Whole-School Culture of Reading for Pleasure
- Renfrewshire: Gryffe High School – Improving Girls’ Wellbeing Through Reading
- South Ayrshire: eight secondary schools – READ FOR YOUR RIGHTS – A Project to Educate and Empower Young People to Know Their Rights and Engage with Social Justice Issues Within Their Communities and Beyond
- Stirling: Dunblane Primary School – A Library for Everyone: Shaping an Inclusive Literacy and Community Space at Dunblane Primary School
- West Dunbartonshire: St Peter the Apostle High School and cluster primaries – Reading Roots – Growing Family Reading Cultures
- West Lothian: The James Young High School, Inveralmond Community High School, Armadale Academy, Whitburn Academy, Bathgate Academy – FACT (Factual And Creative Thinkers)
Alison Nolan, chief executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), said: “School libraries play an important role in pupils’ lives, providing a space where they can thrive, broaden their horizons and fulfil their potential.
“The School Library Improvement Fund helps bring this vision to life by encouraging fresh ideas and forward-thinking approaches to what a library can do for young people.
“We were delighted by the remarkably high standard of the applications submitted which reflects the passion, creativity and ambition of school library staff across the country. We look forward to seeing these 16 projects take shape, helping libraries continue to evolve, inspire pupils and make a lasting difference to schools, families and local communities.”
The 2026-27 SLIF brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to over £2 million since the scheme’s inception. Open to all state-run nurseries, primary and secondary schools, the fund allows schools to apply individually or collaboratively, ensuring wide and equal access to this transformative support.
For more information about SLIF and to learn about some of the previous projects, visit: https://scottishlibraries.org/
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