Tag: libraries

Schools share £150,000 investment to mark Book Week Scotland

Reading `picnics’ and campfire projects win library funding

As Book Week Scotland opens, it has been announced that 17 projects will benefit from the 2024-25 funding round through the School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF). 

Among these, the S’More Reading For Mental Health initiative which operates at Fraserburgh, Inverurie and Mintlaw Academies in Aberdeenshire will benefit. It uses campfire-themed kits with tents, replica campfires, and nature toys to create a calming atmosphere for storytelling sessions and has been awarded £12,260.

The Craigie Book Blether at Edinburgh’s Craigentinny Primary gets £3,200 to help foster a reading community, engage parents, and raise attainment through “reading picnics” in the library.

There’s also £13,500 for eight Edinburgh Secondary Schools for Back to (Information) Basics – An Information and Digital Literacy Skills Programme.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “As Book Week Scotland gets underway, it’s an important time to reflect on the vital role school libraries play in supporting improved literacy and communications skills in our children. 

“I am very pleased to see a range of creative projects benefit from this funding, which will ultimately encourage more young people to read for enjoyment.”

Alison Nolan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), said: “School libraries play such an important role in providing a safe space for young people to learn while also expanding their horizons through the world of reading.

“Programmes like SLIF allow school libraries across the breadth of the country to tailor their offering to the pupils who make use of the library on a daily basis, and it’s great to see so many deserving projects receive confirmation of their award to kick off Book Week Scotland.”

 

Have your say on plans for Edinburgh libraries

Edinburgh Libraries is developing a new Future Libraries Strategy. We want your input!

Help us shape the future of our libraries by taking this short survey.

Your feedback will inform our plans for the next five years.

Take part here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/futurelibraries

Celebrate Hope: Book Week Scotland illuminates Edinburgh and the Lothians with inspiring literary events

Scotland’s national celebration of books, Book Week Scotland 2024, returns from 18-24 November to uplift Edinburgh and Lothians with its theme of Hope.

This year’s programme offers unique perspectives on resilience, community, and the landscapes that define the region. Over the years, Book Week Scotland has deepened its impact on Edinburgh and the Lothians, delivering literary events to even the remotest locations and fostering connections in towns and communities.

The 2024 programme spotlights regional authors and local libraries as community cornerstones. 65,000 copies of a new free book, Scotland’s Stories: Hope, will be distributed during the week.

It is made up of real-life stories from people across Scotland, including contributions from people in Edinburgh and Lothians.

Local voices in this year’s Hope book include:

·       “A Wee Pocket of Joy” by Rosemary Henderson, East Lothian

·       “Dancing for Hope” by Georgia Marlborough, Edinburgh

·       “Ribbons and New Socks” by Sheena Mason, Dalkeith

·       “Hope and Consolation” by David Pickering, Edinburgh

·       “It’s The Hope That Kills You” by Julie Drybrough, Edinburgh

·       “Thorin” by Sam Eastop, Edinburgh (also adapted as a comic strip by Mollie Ray)

Each piece reflects the theme of Hope in unique and personal ways, highlighting the power of local stories.

Book Week Scotland event highlights in Edinburgh and the Lothians:

·       Landscapes of Hope and Inspiration, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, 18 November—This event will bring together visual artist Julie Brook, writer Linda Cracknell, and musician Duncan Chisholm to discuss how Scotland’s landscapes inspire and provide hope. 

·       The Pleasures of Reading with Jackie Kay, Portobello Bookshop, 20 November – Jackie Kay shares the books that have inspired her, joined by Dr Sarah McGeown to explore the benefits of reading for pleasure. 

·       Various Author Events Across Edinburgh and East Lothian – Libraries and regional community centres will host readings, discussions, and family events celebrating the joy of reading. 

The variety of events this year reflects Edinburgh and Lothians’ longstanding engagement with Book Week Scotland, now in its 13th year and supported by Creative Scotland.

Scottish Book Trust invites everyone to join the #BookWeekScotland conversation and find further information and event listings at Book Week Scotland 2024 – Scottish Book Trust .

Extracts:

Rosemary Henderson, Tranent (East Lothian), ‘A Wee Pocket of Joy’

Sheena Mason, Dalkeith (Midlothian), ‘Ribbons and New Socks’

Georgia Marlborough, Edinburgh, ‘Dancing for Hope’

David Pickering, Edinburgh, ‘HOPE AND CONSOLATION’

Julie Drybrough, Edinburgh, ‘It’s The Hope That Kills You’

Sam Eastop, Edinburgh, ‘Thorin’ – story also adapted as a comic strip by Mollie Ray Jennie Tripp, Edinburgh

Book Week Scotland: Poetry workshop at Corstorphine Library

`MONDAY 18th NOVEMBER from 6 – 7pm

Corstorphine Library is hosting Iona Lee for Book Week Scotland.

If you’d be interested in attending this poetry workshop on 18th November, and/or joining their Corstorphine Library’s fortnightly Writers Group, please ask at the library desk or telephone 0131 529 5506.

You can also get in touch via email at corstorphine.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Edinburgh Libraries receive donations of children’s books from 36 visiting UNESCO Cities of Literature

In October 2004, Edinburgh was designated the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, a permanent title celebrating Edinburgh’s status as a literary capital and pioneer in the UNESCO Creative Cities network.

The concept of a City of Literature was devised in Edinburgh by the Trust’s founding members Jenny Brown OBE, Catherine Lockerbie, James Boyle and Lorraine Fannin, trailblazing the way – there are now 53 UNESCO Cities of Literature across the world. 

To mark the occasion, 60 representatives from Cities of Literature destinations across the global network came to Edinburgh for a four day conference as part of The Scottish International Storytelling Festival last week (21-25 Oct 2024).

The conference helped mark the achievements of the past two decades and to make plans for the future – ensuring that Edinburgh continues to stay firmly on the literary map.

As part of this conference the Cities of Literature attending from all over the globe carried on the annual tradition of donating a selection of books to the hosting city.  This year’s donations sees a range of diverse and beautifully illustrated children’s books in the original language of each of these UNESCO Cities gifted to the Central Lending Library in Edinburgh.  

Keira Brown, Communications and Community Manager for Edinburgh City of Literature Trust, said: ‘It’s a wonderful initiative that the Cities of Literature decide to donate picture books from their city, showcasing the range of talent from this global network, giving back to Edinburgh for welcoming these delegates to the city for the week, such a beautiful idea reflecting the international connection that is so beneficial for the sector here in Edinburgh.’

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Keira Brown from Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust and UNESCO Cities of Literature Coordinator, Hannah Trevarthen, with a selection of the donated books.

Nottingham’s City of Literature Director and UNESCO Cities of Literature Chair, Hannah Trevarthen, said: “It’s a fantastic tradition, donating children’s books to the city hosting the meeting every year, and one we hope will long continue.

“It’s our thank-you to the city for all of the hard work that goes into hosting the Cities of Literature delegates.’We hope that the children of Edinburgh will be inspired by the books from other Cities of Literature from around the world.’’

Within Edinburgh City of Literature Trust’s twenty year span, they have helped grow a global network of international literary cities, for the benefit of writers and literature professionals, bringing opportunities for paid commissions, supporting creative practice and broadening literary networks internationally.

At a more local level in Scotland, the Trust’s work has ranged from high profile campaigns to community-based Edinburgh projects, with bold, innovative work bringing communities together – connecting readers and writers as well as literary organisations in the Scottish literature scene.

The Trust has also long partnered with Edinburgh Library service, working to advocate the importance of librarians and libraries across the city.

Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker, said: ““Donating children’s books is a wonderful tradition within the UNESCO Cities of Literature Network. Through our ongoing partnership we are thrilled to see this meaningful gesture from such a diverse network of cities. 

“As the founding city of this international cohort of UNESCO Cities of Literature, we take immense pride in celebrating our 20th anniversary, and I truly hope this wonderful tradition continues for many years to come.”

Edinburgh City of Literature Trust birthday also contributes to the on-going Edinburgh 900 celebrations; marking the 900 year anniversary of Edinburgh – a city-wide celebration of Edinburgh’s history, culture and future.

PICS: Neil Hanna

Meet Pantosaurus!

THIS MORNING AT MUIRHOUSE LIBRARY

BRING your kids along to meet Pantosaurus and listen to his roarsome story!

Muirhouse Library, Friday 18 Oct, 10.30am

Stockbridge Library, Friday 25 Oct, 2.30pm

South Queensferry Library, Friday 1 Nov, 10.30am

Find out more about keeping children safe at http://edinburgh.gov.uk/talkpants

Future Libraries Consultation

Edinburgh Libraries are developing a new Future Libraries Strategy that will provide a framework for service delivery and development for public and school libraries over the next five years.

To help shape the new strategy and inform future proposals for change, Council Committee agreed to carry out an engagement and consultation process to gather feedback from individuals, groups, and stakeholders across the city.

The first stage of the engagement process was successfully carried out earlier this year, and I’m pleased to let you know that the next stage of our “Future Libraries” consultation is now live and will run until 18 December.

As a valued stakeholder, we would appreciate your involvement and to hear your views and ask that you complete the consultation questionnaire which can be accessed here https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/futurelibraries

Over 14,000 individuals, groups and organisations provided feedback in our initial engagement activity held between 26th January 2024 – 19th April 2024.

We have now considered the views and ideas that were gathered through this activity alongside our existing data on service use and knowledge of how the service operates and have used the information to shape our new draft Future Libraries Strategy 2024 – 2029. 

The information has also helped to inform the identification of potential options for change to library opening hours and how the service manages events and activities. Both the draft Strategy and information about the potential options for change are available at the above Future Libraries website.

You can also find our Engagement Report there, which provides a summary of the findings from the engagement process. We hope you will find it of interest and that you might find some time to give us your views on the draft Future Libraries strategy and any proposals for change to opening hours and how the service manages events and activities by completing the consultation questionnaire.

We would also appreciate your support in ensuring the questionnaire is promoted widely and reaches as many people as possible including those who do not currently use library services. It would therefore be very helpful if you are able to let your service users, clients or group members know about the questionnaire and encourage them to provide us with a response.

Thank you for your help and support,

Future Libraries Team

http://edinburgh.gov.uk/futurelibraries

£450,000 public library fund to boost inclusion and sustainability across Scotland

Public libraries are eligible for a share of £450,000 to support advocacy, digital inclusion and sustainability in their services

The 2024/25 Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF), which is administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, opened for applications yesterday (Monday 19 August) to support innovation across the sector.

The annual fund awards grants to projects which support the vision set out in Forward: Scotland’s Public Library Strategy 2021-2025. The strategic aims are grouped under the themes of People, Place & Partnership, with the strategy mapping out an exciting future for Scotland’s public libraries.

This year, priority will go to applications which support Gaelic and Scots language and new Scots languages, digital inclusion and sustainability.

Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson said: “Libraries are fundamental to our communities and can be a lifechanging resource for people of all ages. The £450,000 Public Library Improvement Fund supports this vital role by helping our hardworking library staff bring their innovative ideas to life.

“Many communities across Scotland have already benefitted from previous rounds of funding, which enabled projects to address specific needs or opportunities in their communities. I welcome the opening of applications for this year’s round and would strongly encourage any libraries with ideas about how they could support this year’s priority themes to put themselves forward.”

Last year, 13 innovative public library projects were supported by a share of the 2023/24 PLIF, enriching the communities they operate in, with a commitment to creating long-term impact.

Supporting creativity and sustainability, the projects awarded funding – which included ‘Stay Connected’, a digital inclusion project in South Ayrshire; ‘Business Matters’, an economic wellbeing programme delivered by Moray Council, in partnership with Business Gateway, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); and the ‘Sustainable Communities’ hub project run by Culture Perth and Kinross – highlight the role libraries play in closing the attainment gap, combating social isolation and bridging the digital divide.

Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “Public libraries are the lifeblood of our communities, offering inclusive spaces where everyone has equal access to important services, resources and information. They play a pivotal role in every aspect of social, cultural and daily life, constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of their users.

“Investing in our libraries goes beyond enhancing physical spaces — it’s about empowering people, fostering a love for learning and bridging gaps to ensure that no one is left behind.

“The Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF) enables libraries to expand their offerings and provide even greater support to the communities they serve.

“Guided by the principles of people, place, and partnership, we would encourage every public library to seize this opportunity and help lead the way in shaping the future of our services.”

The Public Library Improvement Fund 2024/25 is now open to applications and will close at 12pm on Wednesday 25 September 2024.

For more information on how to apply, visit: The Public Library Improvement Fund (scottishlibraries.org).

Letters: Summer Reading Challenge

Dear Editor,

Summer has finally arrived and here at the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB), we’re delighted to say it’s time to launch our fantastic library events for children as part of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Developed by The Reading Agency, the annual Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged four to 11 to sign up at their local library or online at summerreadingchallenge.org.uk.

They’ll set a reading goal and collect rewards for their reading – including a certificate when they reach their Challenge goal.

The theme of this year’s challenge is Marvellous Makers. RNIB is encouraging local libraries to run events which will get children making and thinking creatively about stories and books.

The aim is to encourage more children with vision impairments to join the Summer Reading Challenge and to help sighted children develop an understanding of sight loss. You can find details for the events on the Summer Reading Challenge website in the ‘Library Zone’.

Activities include making a pair of ‘sim specs’ which will help show children what it looks like when you have different eye conditions, building a story using a collection of tactile objects, building something from LEGO® or writing a nature-inspired story.

To complete the Summer Reading Challenge, children can read any books they like, including from RNIB’s library at www.rniblibrary.com in whichever accessible format they prefer and these will count towards their Summer Reading Challenge.

RNIB has also worked with The Reading Agency to create Amelia, one of the Marvellous Makers – a fictional cartoon creative club who have been created for this year’s Challenge and brought to life by the brilliant illustrator, Natelle Quek.

Amelia is visually impaired and holds a long orange cane to assist her with getting around.

Additionally, RNIB has created a special guide for library staff to help ensure events are as inclusive as possible The guide can be downloaded for free from The Reading Agency’s website at readingagency.org.uk/resources/7596

Marvellous_Makers_SRC_Event_Guide_RNIB_2024Download

For more information about the books available from RNIB and to find titles in accessible formats, visit  www.rniblibrary.com

For more information about Summer Reading Challenge events happening in your area, pop in to your local library or visit the Summer Reading Challenge website here https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/join-in and click on ‘Library Zone’. Alternatively head to your library’s website.

Lara Marshall

Library Engagement Manager, RNIB

Illustration by Natelle Quek ©The Reading Agency 2024.

Scottish Book Trust survey of public librarians reveals a vital service under pressure across Scotland

An ambitious new report by Scottish Book Trust has revealed that one in three librarians in Scotland believe that their whole service is at risk of reduction or loss.

The Survey of Public Librarians, as part of the Value and Impact of Scotland’s Libraries research, published by Scottish Book Trust, Scotland’s national book charity, also revealed a vital service under threat from underinvestment. It reports:

  • 82% of public libraries reported a restriction in their resources and funding
  • One in three public librarians said they had lost librarians and other library staff
  • One in three public librarians reported that their whole service is at risk of reduction or losses

The report reveals the vital role libraries play in the community as they help to close the poverty-attainment gap. Librarians overwhelmingly agreed that they not only provide free access to all forms of books, but offer a safe, warm and accessible space where those without computers can access digital resources and support, with help from knowledgeable and approachable staff.

While libraries across Scotland are facing ongoing cuts, librarians reported a widespread lack of understanding from their local authorities about the social, long-term impact of their service.

Two thirds of the librarians surveyed reported that their community faces digital poverty, and libraries are bridging the divide.

96% of librarians reported that their library offers access to Wi-Fi, 99% to computers with internet, 71% to ebooks and eReaders and 40% to courses in digital skills

These are lifelines for those with limited resources, including the homeless, the elderly and those who have been released from prison.

Librarians also reported that their libraries are a safe space for refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ people and disabled or neurodiverse people.

As one librarian stated: “We are the first place that people come when they need help, possibly the only place in a landscape of shrinking services. When we are gone then these other agencies will need to foot the time bill and the mental health crisis we are averting.”

This survey of public librarians is part of a wider study of both public and school libraries in Scotland, as conducted by Scottish Book Trust, in partnership with the National Library of Scotland (NLS), the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS).

Preliminary findings from school librarians will be published over the summer, with the final report published later this year.

Marc Lambert, Chief Executive of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Libraries are a vital lifeline for communities across Scotland. Not only do they provide free access to books in a warm and safe environment, but, as this wide-ranging report reveals, they are also a levelling up factory that sends people in a positive direction.

‘There is no other public space where people can access information, combat digital poverty, learn new skills, socialise with others, express themselves creatively, and seek to self-improve, entirely for free. It’s incredibly concerning that these important institutions are endangered.’

Scottish Book Trust is also conducting a survey of public library users, which will be open for responses until the end of June 2024.

The impact of Scotland’s libraries – Scottish Book Trust