The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Funding boost for school and public library projects
Thousands of pounds in funding for school and public library projects in Tayside and Fife has been announced by the Scottish Government.
Over £20,000 has been confirmed for several libraries in Tayside and Fife.
More than 30 public and school libraries across Scotland have been awarded the government funds to help deliver a range of projects, including initiatives to tackle climate change.
Sustainable projects backed by the Public Library Improvement Fund include the Fintry Tool Library in Dundee which will receive £1,404.
Funding for school libraries was awarded to projects championing anti-discrimination and anti-racism.
This included £9,000 for Bell Baxter High School to fund its Racial Equality Transition Project, and £4,220 for Breadalbane Community Library in Perth and Kinross for the “Read It Racism” project.
Carleton Primary in Glenrothes will receive £5,500 for a diversity project run by the school. In Angus, Arbroath Academy is set to receive £1,630.
Announcing the funding, Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said she hoped the projects funded would improve the services libraries can offer. She said: “Promoting sustainability is integral to our net-zero ambitions to tackle climate change and our public libraries are an important focal point for conversations and taking action.
“And as part of our wider approach to creating antiracist environments in school, it is great to see school libraries engaging our young people on the importance of belonging, inclusion and social justice.”
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at the Scottish Library and Information Council, said: “As we begin to rebuild our society following the pandemic, school and public libraries are an essential part of the recovery process to ensure our future social and economic wellbeing.
“We’re particularly proud to provide funding awards projects that promote sustainable development in public libraries and champion anti-racism and anti-discrimination across school libraries as examples of how libraries can make a valuable contribution to Scotland’s social fabric.”
Libraries are a vital part of the Covid recovery