Twelve public libraries across Scotland are set to transform their services thanks to a £200,000 injection from the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF). The funding will support a range of pioneering projects, from gaming and e-sports hubs to AI workshops and sustainability initiatives, designed to create lasting impact for their local communities.
Administered by the Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the annual PLIF helps libraries deliver cutting-edge services that inspire engagement, promote digital upskilling and foster inclusivity across the country.
This year’s successful projects showcase the evolving role of libraries as hubs for trusted information, civic participation and innovative learning and upskilling experiences.
Priority was given to initiatives that address pressing societal challenges including combating mis/dis information, promoting democratic participation, tackling child poverty through educational support, enhancing family wellbeing, and fostering economic growth through community co-production.
Highlights include a gaming and e-sports hub for young people in Elgin, a digital inclusion initiative in North Ayrshire tackling scams and providing information on pension credit, energy advice and staying safe online, community-led initiatives in Inverclyde promoting democratic engagement, and workshops on AI, media and digital wellbeing in South Lanarkshire.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Scottish Government deeply values the role libraries play in our society, local communities, and neighbourhoods. Across the country, libraries continue to deliver a wide range of support and resources, standing proudly at the heart of our communities as trusted and vibrant hubs.
“Through our support, twelve projects have been successful in receiving funding from SLIC’s Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF), for 2025-26. The fund will yet again support pioneering and innovative projects across library services. I am keen that we make the best use possible of all avenues and platforms to ensure that libraries can continue delivering the multitude of services they offer.”
The projects awarded 2025/26 PLIF funding are:
- ‘ReadMore 2026’, an Aberdeen City Library scheme to deliver library services to schools
- ‘How Fiction Becomes Fact’, helping communities in Aberdeenshire tackle misinformation and the growing influence of AI-generated content
- ‘Empowering Teens through the World of Graphic Novels’, an initiative aimed at increasing the engagement of 13–18-year-olds with library services in Campbeltown
- ‘Greenwave’, supporting citizen science projects in Dundee
- ‘East Lothian Reads’, taking on child poverty and supporting attainment in East Lothian
- ‘Cultivating Climate Champions’, a Highland project to expand its green libraries programme to include Ullapool, Gairloch, Fort William, Thurso and Fortrose
- ‘Libraries Give Us Power’, promoting active citizenship in the Inverclyde area
- ‘Game Explorers’, creating a gaming and e-sports hub in Elgin Library
- ‘Savvy about Scams’, a North Ayrshire initiative tackling scams and providing information on pension credit, energy advice and staying safe online
- ‘Learning and Discover Zone Development’, creating a dedicated zone for children aged 0-12 in Peebles Library
- ‘DigiAye’, providing workshops on topics such as AI and digital wellbeing across South Lanarkshire
- ‘Secret History Squad’, encouraging children’s library membership in Stirling
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, added: “Public libraries play a vital and multifaceted role as one of the last truly open-access community spaces.
“They offer access to essential services and resources and serve as vibrant spaces for creativity and self-expression. Continued investment is crucial to sustaining and evolving these services to meet the community needs, and the PLIF remains a key mechanism for strengthening our network.
“Our strategy for Scotland’s public libraries is built on three pillars: people, place and partnership, and this year’s twelve winning projects exemplify that vision, reimagining libraries not just as centres of literacy, but as catalysts for civic engagement, skill development and the sources of trusted information for people of all ages.”
The PLIF is part of a £450,000 annual programme administered by SLIC on behalf of the Scottish Government, supporting creative, sustainable, and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland.
For more information, visit: scottishlibraries.org/the-public-library-improvement-fund-overview/