Nine public library projects in Scotland have received a share of a £450,000 fund to support the transformation and modernisation of services through innovation and creativity.
Initiatives include the SLIC Library Film Clubs, which involve 14 public library services sharing £47,000 PLIF funding to roll-out film education initiatives following the positive results of an 18-month pilot project by SLIC, which was funded by Creative Scotland.
Other successful bids include a project in East Renfrewshire to tackle social isolation through the use of virtual reality, and a joint bid from Dundee, Moray and Falkirk libraries to establish a volunteer accreditation framework to support people into employment.
A total of £229,607 has been allocated to support the nine projects, five of which are collaborative bids involving more than one library service and partners. The remaining funding will be used for national library initiatives, such as Every Child A Library Member, One Card and Book Week Scotland.
PLIF, which is managed by SLIC on behalf of the Scottish Government, is an annual fund designed to support innovation. It has a key role to play in helping library services achieve the vision set out by the national public library strategy, Ambition & Opportunity.
A total of five collaborative bids were successful in receiving funding for innovative and creative projects.
SLIC Library Film Clubs
Award: £46,679
Following a successful pilot project, this will embed the development of film culture within Scotland’s libraries, to improve the provision of film and moving image education across Scotland and to engage communities with public libraries and each other through the medium of film. This project relates to Strategic Aim 1: Reading, Literacy & Learning; Strategic Aim 4: Social Wellbeing; and Strategic Aim 6: Excellent Public Services.
Public Libraries Volunteer Accreditation Scheme
Award: £10,850
The aim of this project is to establish a volunteer accreditation framework which supports volunteer programmes in public libraries and enables participants to follow a pathway which assists employability and wellbeing and provides formal verification of skills and experience gained. This aligns with Strategic Aim 3: Economic Wellbeing.
Library Live!
Award: £35,700
After a very successful initial pilot, this project involves its extension into a further programme of live music events and associated skills training in libraries across Scotland. The strands this project relate to are: Strategic Aim 2: Digital Inclusion; Strategic Aim 3: Economic Wellbeing; and Strategic Aim 5: Culture and Creativity.
Building the Librarian in the Multi-Professional Healthcare Team
Award: £54,336
A new service model will be created connecting librarians, citizens, healthcare professionals and the third sector in dynamic teams to support self-management, shared decision-making and health literacy. This aligns with five Strategic Aims: Reading, Literacy & Learning; Digital Inclusion; Economic Wellbeing; Social Wellbeing; and Excellent Pubic Services.
Storing Stories
Award: £9,622
This will see the roll-out of a web-based impact measurement tool designed to gather user experience feedback across several public library services. This project aligns with Strategic Aim 2: Digital Inclusion; and Strategic Aim 6: Excellent Public Services.
Precious Things - Precious Stories
Award: £8,500
This project will involve the creation of a crowd-sourced online community collection based upon the idea of objects and stories that are precious and important to the individual contributor. This aligns with Strategic Aim 2: Digital Inclusion; and Strategic Aim 5: Culture & Creativity.
Virtually Together
Award: £23,500
The aim of this innovative project is to tackle social isolation and loneliness through the use of virtual reality technology as a means of having shared experiences. This project links with Strategic Aim 2: Digital Inclusion; and Strategic Aim 4: Social Wellbeing.
Open North Ayrshire: Library Hackathons
Award: £45,000
The aim is to provide a programme of public hackathons in public libraries in North Ayrshire to explore the council's open data portal and resources in the context of addressing poverty and increasing equity. This relates to Strategic Aim 6: Excellent Public Services.
Paws to Read
Award: £3,920
This project aims to instil a love of reading amongst primary school pupils who have low levels of literacy via the use of a therapet dog, during reading sessions. This relates to Strategic Aim 1: Reading, Literacy & Learning; and Strategic Aim 4: Social Wellbeing.
