Successful bids for the Public Library Improvement Fund are announced
On September 19th, Cabinet Secretary for Culutre, Tourism and Extrenal Affiars, Fion Hyslop, announced the winning bids for the 2019 round of the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF). A total of £201,269 will be shared by ten Scottish public library services from the PLIF, which supports the transformation and modernisation of public libraries through the enhancement of creative projects.
The PLIF is administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government each year with the aim of supporting innovation within the public library sector. It plays a key role in helping library services achieve the vision set out by the national public library strategy, Ambition & Opportunity. Projects address a wide range of issues such as literacy, digital training, and social isolation.
The successful bids were announced by the Cabinet Secretary at Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries in Fife. Fife’s public library service is one of the beneficiaries of this year’s funding. It has been awarded £32,500 to support the Libraries Aspiring Learners project. The initiative, which is delivered in partnership with Children’s University Scotland, aims to encourage library use as a venue for family learning activities.
In the Highlands, the Mind Hubs: Mental Agility, Physical Dexterity project received £5,400 to develop welcoming spaces for individuals to participate in various activities which stimulate cognitive functioning. The Mind Hub will create social opportunities to build positive connections and reduce social isolation within communities.
Other successful bids include the pilot of a Comic-Con style event in the Western Isles, and a West Lothian initiative, Gift O’ the Gab, which provides support and resources to people experiencing communication barriers, particularly those recovering from the effects of a stroke.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:
“I congratulate all the successful applicants to this year’s Public Library Improvement Fund – including Fife’s ‘Libraries Aspiring Learners’ project which brings families together in innovative and inclusive ways. The funding of over £200,000 announced today will help libraries across Scotland build on the excellent service they already provide and become welcoming spaces to reduce social isolation and help people make positive connections. This forms part of a total of £450,000 funding from the Scottish Government, which also supports the national public library strategy, the One Card project and Every Child a Library Member.”
Heather Stuart, Fife Cultural Trust (ONFife), said:
“It’s fantastic that ONFife Libraries have been awarded funding for this exciting pilot project, which will help build a national partnership between Children’s University Scotland, Scottish libraries, family-learning providers and visitor attractions.We will be developing the pilot systems that will eventually allow all children throughout the country to access and benefit from Children’s University Scotland’s Aspire programme, which recognises, rewards and motivates young people to take part in out-of-school learning activities and opportunities.”
Pamela Tulloch, SLIC said:
“This year’s winning PLIF bids reflect the diversity of activities taking place in modern libraries. We have a variety of innovative projects. Alongside reading and literacy initiatives, there are projects designed to help people improve their health and wellbeing, learn new digital skills and take part in more cultural and creative activities. People are now using their library as a space to learn, access digital technology and take advantage of community-based projects, which have been enhanced through PLIF. The additional funding provided to library projects will ensure that services continue to serve the community and help meet the aims of our public library strategy for Scotland.”
The full list of successful PLIF 2019 bids are:
- One System, One Card, One Step Closer, £70,000, Aberdeenshire.
- Read to me, £4,740, East Renfrewshire.
- Libraries Aspiring Learners with Children’s University Scotland, £32,500, Fife.
- Mind Hubs: Mental agility, physical dexterity, £5,400, Highlands.
- Making Waves: Establishing libraries as cultural hubs and encouraging wider cross community conversations centred on culture and creativity, £25,570, Inverclyde.
- Innovator in Residence, £25,814, Perth and Kinross.
- Renfrewshire eSports Athlete Program, £7,450, Renfrewshire.
- Creating Space — supporting children with additional needs and their families, £16,404, South Ayrshire.
- Bookworms — libraries as green champions, £3,732, South Ayrshire.
- Gift o’ the Gab, £5,844, West Lothian.
- Comic Con Hebrides, £3,815, Western Isles.
More information on PLIF and this years successful bids can be found here.