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.
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.
Frogston Primary School in Edinburgh has been awarded a share of £200,000 to support a progressive diversity and inclusion project, as part of the 2023/24 School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF).
Administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Fund supports creative and innovative projects within the school library sector in Scotland.
Available to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools with a library, this year’s funding priority was given to applications which focused on supporting anti-racism and racial equality.
The £200,000 2023/24 SLIF has been allocated to a total of 21 initiatives across 13 local authority areas in Scotland, including the ‘Holistic Inclusion Hub’ project in Edinburgh.
Frogston Primary School’s ‘Holistic Inclusion Hub’ aims to support parents from diverse backgrounds and pupils with additional needs to meet, talk, learn, and access resources in a safe space.
The project, in collaboration with Edinburgh Libraries, aims to break down barriers with those who feel alienated from the school community and find it difficult to access school – and wider – services through the established channels, such as parents from ethnically diverse backgrounds and refugees.
This brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to £1.7m over the lifetime of SLIF, playing an important role in helping school library services achieve the key aims of ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools: A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023’ – the strategic document for the development of school libraries in Scotland.
Congratulating the successful applicants, Jenny Gilruth, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, said: “School libraries play a key role in our efforts to further boost literacy and continue improving attainment, but they are also places where positive values can be developed and celebrated.
“Projects supported by this funding will help young people to understand the harmful consequences of racism and ensure they feel empowered to challenge discrimination.
“Scotland’s school libraries are a vital resource, and all children should have access to the opportunities they provide. This funding will help ensure that young people from all backgrounds feel the full benefits.”
Available to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools with a library, this year’s fund has been shared across 13 local authority areas, from Dumfries and Galloway to Aberdeen City.
SLIC accepts up to two individual approaches per local authority and an unlimited number of collaborative applications to ensure equal opportunities across Scotland, with priority for the 2023/24 funding given to project applications focusing on supporting anti-racism and equality.
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of SLIC, said: “School libraries play a key role in accelerating education and learning, and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential by enabling access to information and creative opportunities.
“Each child, school and local authority is different, with differing priorities, and therefore funding programmes like SLIF help to improve and expand the tailored services school libraries can provide. That’s why it’s great to see Scotland’s school library services being proactive with their approaches with 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, with many projects aiming to increase access and support for pupils who may experience barriers to learning, including those with Additional Support Needs (ASN) and pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
“Involving children and young people, and their families, in defining the school library service creates a flexible space for reflection and conversation where learning and creativity are encouraged in a nurturing environment. We look forward to seeing these initiatives come to life.”
For more information on The School Library Improvement Fund, visit:
Around 20,000 pupils are expected to benefit from anti-racism and equality projects based in school libraries across Scotland.
A total of 21 schools will be awarded a share of £200,000 from the School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF).
Projects include:
books to support children who have recently arrived in East Ayrshire from countries including Ukraine
teaching pupils Black, Asian and minority ethnic history as part of learning on historical links to slavery in Inverclyde
a Holistic Inclusion Hub to support parents and pupils from diverse backgrounds to feel more included in the school community in Edinburgh.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth announced the funding during a visit to Annette Street Primary School in Glasgow, which will use the investment to support children from the Roma community.
Ms Gilruth said: “School libraries play a key role in our efforts to further boost literacy and continue improving attainment but they are also places where positive values can be developed and celebrated.
“Projects supported by this funding will help young people to understand the harmful consequences of racism and ensure they feel empowered to challenge discrimination.
“Scotland’s school libraries are a vital resource and all children should have access to the opportunities they provide. This funding will help ensure that young people from all backgrounds feel the full benefits.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Library and Information Council Pamela Tulloch said: “School libraries play a key role in accelerating education and learning, and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential by enabling access to information and creative opportunities.
“We’re particularly proud to award support to those advocating for anti-racism and anti-discrimination through this year’s Fund, with many projects aiming to increase access and support for pupils who may experience barriers to learning, including those with Additional Support Needs (ASN) and pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
“Involving children and young people, and their families, in defining the school library service creates a flexible space for reflection and conversation where learning and creativity are encouraged in a nurturing environment. We look forward to seeing these initiatives come to life.”
Glasgow City Council’s Convener for Education and Early Years, Councillor Christina Cannon said: “Our schools and teachers are always looking at ways in which to support our children and young people – particularly pupils with English as additional language – and this additional funding will help provide resources to complement this work.
“Our diversity is something that we celebrate and we are proud to have more than 113 languages spoken across the city.”
Winners of the John Lewis Partnership’s Circular Future Fund – one year on
Four projects reveal their 12-month progress: creating ‘lend and mend’ hubs in libraries, helping to make menstrual cups mainstream, redesign children’s shoes to make them last longer and technology to enable polyester to be recycled again and again
The £1 million fund was launched in November 2021, calling for new ideas and innovations to transition towards a more circular economy
The Circular Future Fund was raised from the sales of 10p plastic bags
The Circular Future Fund impact report can be viewed at: hubbub.org.uk
An innovative ‘lend and mend’ initiative in nine Scottish libraries has played a significant role in the success of a new UK-wide circular economy project.
The John Lewis Partnership and environmental charity Hubbub, has this week published an impact report, detailing the progress of four trailblazing projects that were awarded funding as part of the Circular Future Fund, created to find pioneering circular economy ideas.
In 2022, four projects were each awarded grants of between £150,000 – £300,000, from 245 applications, to develop their innovative solutions that challenged the ‘make…use…throw-away’ culture of modern society. The £1 million fund was made possible by the sales of 10p plastic bags through the John Lewis Partnership.
Helping menstrual cups go mainstream, redesigning children’s shoes to make them last longer, creating ‘lend and mend’ hubs in libraries and enabling polyester to be recycled again and again were the winning projects chosen by an independent Grant Fund panel of industry experts. Each winner was then supported by Hubbub to develop and achieve their ambitions.
The successful projects have each reported significant progress with proven results that leave a strong legacy for their respective industries. By sharing their learnings and challenges in the report, they hope to inspire others to follow in their footsteps towards creating a more circular economy.
Key outcomes from each project are detailed below:
SLIC’s project aimed to create a network of lend and mend hubs across Scotland to support communities to repair, reuse, rent and upcycle everyday items.
The difference made:
Nine hubs have been created, with early indications suggest hubs have the potential to reach around 2,000 people per year through sewing and mending classes alone.
All libraries are offering equipment, workshops, and tools free of charge to overcome cost barriers for the public, making everyday circular economy actions more accessible.
The hubs are fitted out with circularity in mind, using repurposed office furniture saving 5 tCO2 compared to buying new and upcycled peg boards that were part of Kenya’s display at COP26 in Glasgow.
SLIC plan to create a toolkit, disseminated through workshops, to share their learnings and help other library services across the UK replicate their approach.
Marion Kunderan, head of programme on the SLIC ‘Lend and Mend’ project team: “With the ongoing cost of living crisis, the Lend and Mend Hubs have the potential to support families to make more sustainable choices.
“Libraries are trusted community spaces without agenda and have an opportunity to provide a space where communities can take action through practical everyday solutions locally.”
The perfect circular sustainable period product, the menstrual cup, has existed for decades, yet it remains a niche product that only 5% of people with periods use. DAME aimed to break down the barriers to using menstrual cups. They gained insight of the barriers to cup use, through surveys and a small user group trial, identifying the main concerns as comfort, leaking, and inserting a menstrual cup, plus cleaning it.
DAME also designed a groundbreaking self-sanitising menstrual cup, removing the need to boil or sterilise cups. Launched in June, the self-sanitising period cup has achieved several ISO standards to prove its safety and effectiveness.
Each cup is predicted to contribute 99 times less carbon over its lifetime[4] (compared to boiling a traditional cup) and avoids the need for 2,860 disposable period products per person over a lifetime of periods.
Next DAME are exploring charity partnerships to see if the cup could be available to those experiencing period poverty, and sharing the user guide content with educators to help more teenagers to try and stick with menstrual cups.
PIP & HENRY – Redesigning children’s shoes to make them last longer
Pip & Henry’s research and development project explored extending the life of children’s shoes. Young children replace shoes every 4 months, while 85% of shoes currently end up in landfill. Pip & Henry’s project aimed to explore two solutions to disrupt the children’s footwear industry.
The difference made:
Over the year period, Pip & Henry actually developed three concepts to work towards their vision of an expandable shoe and shoe that can be more cleanly separated into their component materials and therefore more easily recycled.
They hope to launch a capsule collection in 2024 and are exploring licensing concepts to help scale their circular shoe innovations.
The project has provided in-depth knowledge about the environmental impacts of footwear manufacturing methods and material innovations, plus how to design for better end of life recycling.
Pip & Henry plan to share their learnings and insights with the footwear manufacturing and recycling industries, to help create an industry step change to more circular shoe designs.
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS– Innovating technology to enable polyester to be recycled again and again
Polyester is the world’s most common textile fibre and yet only 15% of polyester produced is made from recycled polyester (mostly from plastic bottles) [7]. Currently there is no true circularity in the polyester industry because the dyes in polyester mean it cannot be easily removed which prevents it being recycled back into new virgin polyester fibre. The University of Leeds’s innovation created new novel ‘switchable-solubility’ dyes that enables them to be switched from water-soluble to water-insoluble to colour and de-colour polyester.
The difference made
The research proves the dyes can be both added to, and removed from polyester, enabling the dye, water and fabric to be recycled with huge potential environmental benefits, needing less energy and water use, and removing the need for auxiliary chemicals in the dyeing process.
The introduction of the new CO₂ technology delivers a truly circular process that has the potential to recycle directly and mechanically some of the 57 million tonnes of polyester fibre produced globally each year[8].
The University of Leeds also made a bonus discovery, in that their technology also works on other fabrics such as denim and existing dyes in polyester.
Next the project plans to scale the technology to test at industrial scale, plus complete a full environmental lifecycle analysis.
The University of Leeds will share their discoveries with the textile and recycling sectors, plus exploring commercialising the technology to maximise its reach and impact.
Marija Rompani, Director of Ethics and Sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The Circular Future Fund allowed us to connect and support leading innovators to enhance their circular business models and drive the shift in circularity within the industry and society.
“I’m so excited to share their findings, and hopefully this is just the beginning of the impact that each of the winning projects will have.”
Saskia Restorick, Director at Hubbub, said: “The four projects, while very different in nature, shared an ambition to bring innovative, creative and entrepreneurial approaches to designing out waste in their respective sectors.
“This forward-thinking fund, along with the winners’ hard work and dedication has enabled them to find tangible solutions and gain huge amounts of insight and knowledge. It has been a pleasure working with them and seeing their ideas come to life.
“We look forward to seeing how they develop and to sharing their successes to inspire even more innovation to speed up the transition to a more circular economy.”
The Circular Future Fund aimed to identify innovation and challenge the status quo, to boost the circular economy. The four projects have delivered on their ambitions, leave a strong legacy and offer tangible examples of the circular economy in action.
To find out more about the four projects, their impact and legacy, the Circular Future Fund impact report can be viewed at hubbub.org.uk
School libraries across Scotland will receive a £200,000 funding boost for projects supporting anti-racism and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion to recognise the issues that matter to our children and young people.
The School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF) is the Scottish Government-supported national funding programme which supports creative and innovative projects within the school library sector.
Available to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools, the 2023-24 fund once again puts a priority focus on project applications which support anti-racism and racial equality. The scheme officially opens for applications on Wednesday (23 August).
The 2023/24 fund will build on the anti-discrimination work undertaken in schools last year – including Ross High School in Tranent’s ‘Stand Up and Be Counted’ project, which developed a racial equality digital resource to recognise, represent and celebrate diversity in school libraries and communities across East Lothian.
Last year’s funding also supported the collaborative Academy programme in Clackmannanshire, which saw a series of progressive diversity and equality workshops launched with the Empathy Lab as part of the ‘Building Empathy Through Books’ initiative.
Apportioning funding to initiatives which help school library services achieve the key aims of ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools: A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023’ – the strategic document for the development of school libraries, the announcement of this year’s fund brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to £1.7m over the lifetime of the School Library Strategy strategy.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “School libraries play a vital role in the learning experiences of children and young people across the country. They are also places where positive values can be celebrated and developed, which is why I am delighted to continue our support for them through this fund.
“I am determined that inclusion, diversity and representation will be at the heart of our education system. This fund’s focus on developing anti-racism resources will help ensure that children and young people understand the harmful consequences of racism and discrimination, and encourage them to actively challenge it wherever it occurs.”
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) which administers the fund on behalf of the Scottish Government, added: “School libraries play a central role in helping children and young people gain the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for learning, life and work.
“They ensure every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential, so it’s great to see this level of Scottish Government funding pledged to support the aims of ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools’ once again.
“From physical and digital resources to collaborative workshops and initiatives, SLIF grants can help school libraries improve and expand the services they offer for their pupils, staff and the community around them.
“As we continue to put a focus on projects advocating for anti-racism and anti-discrimination, we would encourage every nursery, primary and secondary school to consider how they can help lead the way in developing our services and apply for funding today.”
Schools can apply via individual application or collaborative application with SLIC accepting up to two individual applications per local authority and an unlimited number of collaborative applications to ensure equal opportunities across Scotland.
The School Library Improvement Fund 2023-24 is now open to applications and will close at 12pm on Wednesday 20 September 2023.
Edinburgh’s school libraries have been awarded funding for a progressive anti-racism project, as part of the 2022/23 School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF).
Administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Fund supports creative and innovative projects within the school library sector in Scotland.
Available to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools with a library, this year’s funding priority was given to applications which focused on supporting anti-racism and racial equality.
The £200,000 2022/23 SLIF has been allocated to a total of 18 initiatives across Scotland, including the ‘The Library is Anti-Racist’ project in Edinburgh.
The funding will support the creation of an anti-racism toolkit and collection of travelling resources for Edinburgh’s school libraries to ensure the service is diverse, inclusive and reflective of the school and its wider community.
This brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to £1.5m over the lifetime of SLIF, playing an important role in helping school library services achieve the key aims of ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools: A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023’ – the strategic document for the development of school libraries in Scotland.
Congratulating the successful applicants, 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.”
Schools can apply via individual or collaborative applications with SLIC accepting up to two individual approaches per local authority and an unlimited number of collaborative applications to ensure equal opportunities across Scotland.
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of SLIC, 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.”
For more information on The School Library Improvement Fund, visit:
Scottish Government Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Neil Gray MSP, attended a literary lunch at Stockbridge Library yesterday to celebrate the ‘national reading moment’, as part of the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign.
Joining local book groups, as well as the library’s visually impaired audio book group, Mr Gray listened to live reads from renowned local crime author Gillian Galbraith at a special event coordinated by Edinburgh Libraries.
Hosted as part of the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) in partnership with MHF the Mental Health Foundation and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), with support from Baillie Gifford and many more, Gillian led a series of six-minute reads, followed by a Q&A session, to inspire people of all ages and abilities to read every day to help boost their mental health and wellbeing.
Joan Parr, Service Director Culture and Wellbeing for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Reading for pleasure can have a hugely positive impact on our wellbeing and the ‘Keep the Heid and Read’ campaign is a great way of reminding people about the health benefits of reading.
“Taking time out and reading something for just six minutes a day helps boost your mental health and there’s no better place to do this than our libraries which are full of a wide range of great materials.
“Our libraries are invaluable resources for local communities and we all know there’s so much more to them than just borrowing books – they are trusted and much-loved services which strengthen local communities and are essential for the wellbeing of everyone using them.”
Taking place during Mental Health Week 2022 (9-15 May 2022), the campaign, conceptualised by the post-lockdown plea for public libraries to reopen, encouraged people in Scotland to take part in the ‘national reading moment’ on Wednesday 11 May, with a pledge to read for just six minutes.
Research shows that reading for six minutes a day can reduce stress by 68 per cent – in people of all ages.
At the time of the event, the campaign had already surpassed its target of 300,000 pledged reading minutes, with support from around the country.
An online totaliser, capturing the growing number of reading minutes pledged towards the national reading moment, is available at: www.keeptheheid.scot.
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “I’m delighted that so many people took part in the Keep the Heid and Read campaign led by the Scottish Library and Information Council.
“Reading not only sparks our imaginations but also boosts our mental health and well-being. I hope that everyone who took part will continue to enjoy these benefits by making reading a routine part of their daily lives.”
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at SLIC said: “There has been such a positive response to the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign and we have seen such creativity go into special events around the reading moment, like the literary lunch at Stockbridge Library, which have helped bring people together and inspire the public to support the reading pledge.
“Our libraries are a fantastic resource, filled with an abundance of free reading materials – whatever your interests and ability; but they also play a valuable role in reconnecting communities. With the majority of libraries now reopen across Scotland following the pandemic, we hope these services will help the public take this easy-to-implement reading habit forward in daily life to benefit their wellbeing.”
A new Scotland-wide reading initiative has been announced to inspire and encourage people to read every day to boost their mental health and wellbeing.
A national reading moment, called ‘Keep the Heid and Read!’ will take place on Wednesday 11 May, during Mental Health Week 2022. Readers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to pledge to read for just six minutes on 11 May – and they can read anything, from books and magazines to comics, graphic novels and blogs.
An online totaliser to count the overall reading time pledged by the nation will be launched on 11th April where both individuals and groups such as schools can sign up to get involved at www.keeptheheid.scot. People can also follow the progress of Keep the Heid and Read using #keeptheheid on social media.
The idea was inspired by the post-lockdown plea for public libraries to reopen and the growing recognition that libraries play a valuable role in supporting mental health and wellbeing by connecting communities.
It is taking place during Mental Health Week because of the known mental and emotional health benefits of reading. Research shows that reading for just six minutes a day can reduce stress by 68 per cent. Establishing a regular reading habit has the biggest impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at SLIC said: “The reading moment came about from an awareness that people have missed their libraries during the pandemic, coupled with the joy and benefits people gain from reading. It is the most popular cultural activity people undertake and, during the COVID-19 lockdown, reading was the nation’s most popular pastime.
“We want everyone to get involved on 11 May by pledging to read for six minutes. It is a great way for people to reconnect with their local libraries, which offer an abundance of free reading material and library staff can make recommendations based on reading ability and interests.
“Getting lost in a good book is a highly effective stress reliever and reading fiction, in particular, can inspire creativity and boost emotional intelligence, not to mention improve overall levels of literacy.”
Chris O’Sullivan, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Mental Health Foundation in Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to support ‘Keep the Heid and Read’. Local libraries are a fantastic source of support in our communities and we hope that every person in Scotland has, and continues to have, access to the world of books, social connection and services they offer.
“We know that reading has many benefits for our mental health; it can bring us joy, help us to relax and it can help alleviate the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. We encourage everyone to take part in the six minute reading event during mental health week and develop a reading habit.”
Culture Minister Neil Gray added: “Reading books for pleasure can have a huge impact on our wellbeing so I’m delighted to support this Scotland-wide reading initiative. Our libraries have a vital role to play in reconnecting communities and promoting health and wellbeing as we recover from the pandemic.
“I’ll be pledging my six minutes of reading on 11 May and would encourage everyone else to pick up a book to do the same to support their local libraries.”
A new fund worth more than £1 million that will help libraries re-open is being launched by the Scottish Government.
The Public Libraries COVID Recovery Fund will allow libraries to re-connect with their communities as part of Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.
The fund, which will be distributed through the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), will support libraries in re-opening or extending their opening hours, as well as fund targeted plans for issues such as digital exclusion or mental health and wellbeing.
While priority will be given to applications which support deprived areas and communities, all library services across Scotland are invited to apply for the fund, which is a commitment made in the new Programme for Government.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “We hope that through this new fund the power of libraries to inform, educate, entertain and inspire can be unlocked again as part of the recovery from the COVID pandemic.
“We are aware that while many have returned, Scotland’s library services are currently operating below their pre-pandemic levels.
“The reasons for these closures are varied, complex and sometimes challenging – however we want to see as many libraries re-open as possible, and this fund will help the public library sector bounce back from a challenging time.”
Scottish Library and Information Council chair Ian Ruthven said: “The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the vital role public libraries play in communities across Scotland.
“Libraries are at the centre of the collective endeavour to improve literacy, close the attainment gap, promote health, champion wellbeing, pioneer sustainability, reduce inequality, and close the digital divide.
“SLIC is pleased to be working with the Scottish Government to administer the Public Library Covid Relief Fund which will support the public library sector to extend access to these vital services, and prioritise wellbeing as communities continue to rebuild and recover.”
