The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-12078, in the name of James Dornan, on 100 years of Langside library. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates Langside Library on its centenary celebrations; understands that Langside Library was the last library in Scotland built with funds from Andrew Carnegie and the first in the city to let people take their own books from the shelves instead of requesting them from the counter; notes that the library is host to the famous Maurice Greiffenhagen picture of Mary Queen of Scots at the Battle of Langside, depicting her viewing the scene of the battle from the top of the hill where the Langside monument now sits; notes that the library now has drop-in services for Citizens Advice, Macmillan Cancer, and provides bounce and rhyme sessions, storytime sessions and a weekly coffee morning, and considers the changes that Langside Library has undertaken over the last decades to become a cultural and learning hub in the community represent a particularly fine example of the changes being made to the library sector across Scotland.
17:03
I thank the members who signed my motion and those who will take part in the debate, and I welcome to the Parliament Lauren McNaught, cultural services officer, and Markie DeLeavey from Langside library, who travelled through this afternoon after an incredibly busy day to listen to the debate.
I have been privileged to lead a number of members’ business debates since my election in 2011, but I can honestly say that I do not think that there has been another that has given me the personal satisfaction that this one does. I have a secret obsession, although it is not that secret from those who know me well: I am obsessed with libraries. I am sure that I share that with my colleague the acting Minister for Children and Young People, who is a former librarian.
Ever since I was a child, reading has been my pleasure. I read anything that was in the house. My mum was an avid reader, so there was always something—usually an Agatha Christie. When I was old enough—seven or eight, maybe—I went to the library for the first time. Wow. There were all these rules—“Don’t speak”, “Stop shuffling”, “Stop coughing and sneezing”—yet it was like Ali Baba’s cave of treasure, and I never looked back. I was fortunate to live close to a number of libraries—Couper institute, Govanhill, King’s Park and of course Langside, which was my favourite.
Langside library was the last to be built with funds from Andrew Carnegie. Nearly all Carnegie’s 2,509 libraries, which were built between 1883 and 1929, were built according to the Carnegie formula. In determining where to build a library, the town or area needed to fulfil four key requirements. It had to demonstrate the need for a public library; provide the building site; provide annually 10 per cent of the cost of the library’s construction to support its operation; and provide a free service to all.
Like me, Carnegie was greatly influenced by his local library and the opportunity that it gave working boys, who some believed should not even be entitled to books, to better themselves. As an immigrant in America who came by his wealth with the assistance of others, Carnegie’s personal experience led him to believe that society should be based on merit and that those who worked hard could become successful. That philosophical tenet ran through all his charitable work, but his libraries are the best known expression of that philosophy.
Langside was able to meet the requirements, and after George Simpson won the competition to design the library, work commenced on building it in 1913. It opened in 1915.
Although we now take for granted whiling hours away browsing the shelves of our local library for our latest book, it was not always that way. Langside library was the first library in Glasgow to allow folk to pick their own books instead of having to request them from the staff. That was an enormous innovation and gave ownership to members of the public; it also gave them the freedom to select whatever they saw that took their fancy. I suspect that, if people still had to order books, “Fifty Shades of Grey” would probably be slightly less popular than it appears to be.
Langside is famous for being the site of the battle of Langside, which was the last battle that was fought by Mary, Queen of Scots. Defeat in that battle led to her fleeing to her cousin Elizabeth I in England for sanctuary—we all know how well that turned out. The battle is commemorated in a large painting inside the library, which was designed by Maurice Greiffenhagen and painted with students at Glasgow School of Art. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1919 and presented to the library in 1920. That stunning painting is now being assessed for restoration.
I want libraries to continue to inspire people—young and old—as much as they inspired me when I was younger. Langside library is just one example of a library that has had a stellar history, but is modernising to ensure that it has a strong future ahead of it. One of the ways in which the library is doing that is by making itself a social hub and a place where the community can go to get help and advice on a number of different issues. Citizens Advice Scotland and Macmillan Cancer Support have drop-in services there, which help people in different ways and utilise the library’s space. The library also hosts a weekly coffee morning, storytelling sessions and bounce-and-rhyme sessions for parents with toddlers. The library service appreciates that, by getting people involved in their local libraries, they will continue to use them for generations to come.
This morning, I attended an event in Langside library to celebrate 100 years since it opened, on 3 February 1915. Local resident and actor Gary Lewis was among the people who spoke. He told us that he used to work in Easterhouse library and that, when it got requests for books that it did not stock, it sent to Langside for them. Honestly, libraries are just like Google come to life.
I am one of those saddos who would get excited when they came across a library that they had never been in and who could not walk past a library on the off-chance that it had new books in it since the last time that they were there. In my case, that would probably have been less than a week beforehand.
Libraries have changed. They are no longer the austere, serious, studious places that they used to be. Everything goes on in libraries now, from toddlers singing to the more mature discussing old memories when the reminiscence box comes out. I have also noticed that the staff seem to be much younger now—maybe that is just me getting the young policeman syndrome. However, the most important thing about libraries remains the same: they are places of wonder, of hidden treasures for people of all ages and of incredible knowledge just waiting for people to turn a page and find it. They are also places of fun that are exhilarating and hugely rewarding.
When the lord provost opened the library back in the day, he said that it was as important to the working man as lighting or sanitation. Where else could the ordinary working man get access to what was there? He also said that the library was about more than just books and lending, and that it could and should be the centre of the community. I talked today to a number of high rankers from Glasgow Life, and it was interesting that they remarked that, 100 years later, their purpose is exactly the same. I know that Glasgow Life is in the process of a review to strengthen further those links with the community.
I said in the motion that the changes to Langside library have made it more accessible, utilised the space and offered more than just the opportunity to borrow books—as vital as that service is. I look forward to hearing from colleagues from across the country about the great examples of other local libraries that are working in their communities. If their libraries are half as beautiful or half as welcoming as Langside library is, the debate will be very enjoyable.
17:09
I commend James Dornan for bringing the debate to the chamber. I apologise on two counts: first, I was given extremely short notice that I was taking part in the debate; and, secondly, I have another engagement in about half an hour, so I am afraid that I will have to leave before the end of the debate.
I do not think that I can say that I am obsessed with libraries, although I value them hugely. Libraries are perhaps one of the greatest assets in any community, for a variety of reasons. Celebrating their work is an important duty of any elected member, not least because the majority of our constituents regard them so preciously.
As the motion says, Langside library was one of the last to be built with funds from Andrew Carnegie. The first Carnegie library in the United Kingdom was built in the region that I represent, in Carnegie’s home town of Dunfermline, in 1883. His legacy of philanthropy can be felt in more than 2,500 locations across the world, from Langside to Louisiana and from New York to New Zealand. He was a Scot who conquered the business world and then used that undoubted success to bring community learning to those who needed it most. It is a legacy of which Scotland can be immensely proud.
The revolution that Carnegie created has clearly changed over time, but it is just as important as ever, as libraries have transformed from silent spaces for reading to bustling hubs of activity covering all aspects of community living. As James Dornan pointed out, that activity is incredibly important for local communities, with libraries now hosting free classes and events for local people, some of which would not have been available when they were first built.
James Dornan referred to the four criteria according to which the libraries received their funding. That is a vital point. Perhaps the two most important were the requirement for free access and the need to demonstrate that the community was greatly in need of the facility. That was probably a little easier to do in 19th century Scotland than it might be now.
Revolutionary though he was, not even Carnegie could have predicted the seismic shift that has been brought about by the internet. The proliferation of digital communication has been embraced whole-heartedly across Scotland and by the Scottish library system, with many people’s first interaction with the internet taking place in a library.
Today, the majority of us carry the entirety of human knowledge in our pockets and bags. Smartphones and tablets mean that we have instant access to information. The increasing role that libraries have to play is therefore a difficult one, as they are competing with those changes, but I must compliment libraries—at least the ones that I know anything about—which I think have been absolutely outstanding in their approach. The nature of our interactions and our need for libraries are ever changing, but libraries have responded to that, as have communities, which have a vital role when it comes to developing facilities.
The Parliament is right to congratulate Langside library today. One hundred years is truly a milestone worth marking. For a century, the people of Langside have been extremely well served. I wish the library’s staff and visitors the very best as they embark on the coming week of celebratory events.
17:13
I declare my interest as a card-carrying member of Glasgow’s library services. Like Liz Smith, I thank James Dornan for securing the debate and I congratulate the staff and regular readers at Langside library from over the years as we mark its centenary.
I was pleased to support Mr Dornan’s motion when it was lodged, and I read with interest some of the information that was contained in it. He mentioned the battle of Langside, which was such an important event, although not that many people know that much about the detail of the battle. We know much more about the flight to Dumbarton and the exile that followed Langside. It seems fitting, given that connection, to be marking the centenary of the library here at Holyrood.
I have no doubt that generations of schoolchildren in Langside will have learned about the connection of that part of Glasgow with Mary, Queen of Scots through the local library, and they will have learned many other things besides. Importantly, they will have gained—like Mr Dornan—a love of learning for its own sake through their reading and indeed thanks to the work of the library staff over many years. It is important not just that we thank the staff who currently work in the library, but that we remember the generations of staff who have worked in the library and who no doubt loved it very much.
I was interested to read that Langside was the first library in the city that allowed readers to take their books off the shelf; Mr Dornan highlighted that point. I am intrigued by that, because there must have been many interesting discussions about allowing that to happen for the first time. Again, there is something fitting about that, given the history of learning in Glasgow and in particular of self-taught people. Generations of people have used the city’s library services to understand more about the world, their place in the world and, particularly in Glasgow, how to change the world. Our municipal libraries have played an absolutely crucial role in that.
As Liz Smith mentioned, libraries have undergone significant change. Some have been lost altogether as a result of technology, cheaper books and other forms of entertainment, but we must acknowledge that another driver of that negative change has been pressure on local government budgets. I understand that, since 2008, 22 public libraries across Scotland have closed. We need to reflect on the modern libraries that are succeeding and that have reinvented themselves as demand and expectations on them have changed.
The motion makes a number of points about the services that are offered at Langside. The one that I know most about is the partnership between the city’s library service and Macmillan Cancer Support, which provides a one-stop shop for advice and information for those who are affected by cancer, in a community setting rather than a health one.
Like Mr Dornan, when I reflect on my learning as a child, I see that, possibly along with the BBC, my local library was pretty much my primary source of exposure to new information. The regular visits that both my parents encouraged me to make from a young age led to a lifelong love of learning and a wide interest in local and Scottish history and, inevitably, politics. One of my fondest memories of my local library is being taken as a child by my grandfather, who was an ex-miner, to visit the wonderful model there of the local colliery. It had intricate details of the pit workings, with buttons that could be pressed to light up different parts of the pit and the underground railway. That was quite a contrast with the decline of the real mine, which was behind my school and which had fallen into disrepair following its closure after the miners strike.
In that same library, I read a copy of Margaret Thatcher’s memoir, “The Downing Street Years”, which was certainly priced beyond my means and was unlikely to be a welcome addition in my house, if any of us had sought to buy it. However, I read it with interest. I also read Robert Tressell’s “The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists”. I have lodged a motion marking the centenary of that book’s publication. No doubt, it is one of the books that will have been regularly taken off the shelves in Langside library over the years. At my local library, there was much lighter material, too, such as the back catalogue of Enid Blyton, “The Three Investigators”—a detective series for boys, which I worked my way through—and many other things besides.
I am one of those people that Liz Smith referred to who first used the internet in their local library. At one time, we were able to withdraw VHS films and even CDs in the local library, which was a boon for those in a small town without a record shop. People could take the CDs home and tape them, although I would never encourage that now—as a supporter of the right of artists to be paid, I certainly deprecate that crime now. However, the library was a huge part of my life.
Libraries are precious things. Although they face real challenges, it is right that we mark the success of libraries such as Langside, which continue to provide a real hub for local communities and, crucially, a gateway to local learning, local history, culture and even health improvement. I am grateful to Mr Dornan for ensuring that his important motion is debated in Parliament.
17:19
I congratulate my colleague on securing the debate and I congratulate Langside library on its centenary. I preface my remarks by confessing that I have not visited the library, but I recognise the diverse services that it provides for the community, which reflect those that are provided in my constituency.
Early visits to libraries in my youth involved crossing the threshold of quite forbidding places. They had the silence of a sanctuary, where one felt that even a sneeze was heretical. As a working class girl, I had no idea where to look or what to look for and I was too inhibited to ask. Can members remember me being inhibited? It was there that I first stumbled across critiques of Shakespeare plays. I had no idea that such things existed until then, but I passed my higher English with an A, self-taught by those library books.
As an English teacher, my experience of the Woodmill high school library in Dunfermline under the formidable oversight of librarian Dorothy Devlin was eye-opening. It was the 1960s, and she ensured that her library, although it was respected, was a place of interest where conversations—albeit sotto voce—could take place. We even shared lessons in teaching children how to use the library, which was something that I had never known how to do before. In particular, we taught those who were not academically inclined and who felt like a fish out of water.
I have had regard for librarians ever since, particularly as I recall that Dorothy Devlin fought for so-called unsuitable books to be available. Freedom of expression and thought was her mantra, and she will not be the first or the last librarian to take on that fight.
Today, I hold surgeries at Newtongrange and Gorebridge libraries, and there are approachable and enthusiastic staff working in both of them. I say that not just because I am greeted with a cup of coffee and a biscuit, but because of all that they do to make the libraries inviting and diverse. There is a computer room and a kiddies’ corner, and there are seasonal displays of books and pictures. The libraries both go to town at Halloween and Christmas, and there are charity events, competitions and newspapers to read, along with flowers on the counter and even an appearance from me. It is all go.
There is the surprise parcel enticement, in which batches of books are bundled up in brown paper and string, and labelled with a category such as “Romance” or “Thrillers”. Readers pick their parcel, and off they go to unwrap it at home, where they perhaps find inside a book or two that they would never have thought of choosing.
Last time I was at Gorebridge, waiting for customers, I was perched among the autobiographies. To pass the time, I—being a fan of “Only Fools and Horses” and “A Touch of Frost”—picked up David Jason’s autobiography. It was a laugh a page—and I mean an out-loud laugh a page. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to finish it, but after telling a few friends, I managed to get a copy for Christmas. I recommend reading it on a dreich day by the fire, possibly with a malt to hand.
I thank James Dornan for highlighting the work of Langside library and recognising that it has—like many other libraries—evolved over the centuries into an exciting place that is amenable and approachable. Libraries make a diverse contribution to their communities, and the librarians are the personalities who make them so worth while to visit.
I should just say, Presiding Officer, that I like the touch and feel of a book. You will never get me reading an e-book.
17:22
I thank James Dornan for bringing the debate to the chamber, and I congratulate Langside library on its 100th anniversary.
I thank James Dornan especially because he has grasped the essence of the whole concept of libraries. I would never have imagined him going into libraries as regularly as he suggests he does. That is wonderful, and very positive.
When I was a child, my family took me overseas, and I did not experience libraries because there were none there. When I came back to Glasgow, I first experienced a library because I was taken along by my local school. I said to myself, “My God. Look at all these books. I can get them for free, and take them home.” I could not believe my eyes or my mind. I took some books home and began to read them. It amazes me to think of the value that libraries have even today for youngsters and for others in our communities. When I went to the library in the early days, I thought that everybody there was elderly. Of course I was young, so everybody looked elderly to me.
As time went on, I felt that the value of libraries grew greater and greater, particularly when I went to university. I was unemployed before then, so I was not particularly wealthy, and I needed to buy books for my course. I said to myself, “I am never going to be able to afford these books.” I was told by one of the lecturers that I could go to the university library and get some books there, and I did. What was amazing was that, when I wanted to do research, it was the libraries in my local area that came to my rescue. The amount of information that is available in libraries is amazing; people cannot even fathom it.
My grandson thinks that a computer is better than a dictionary. I tried to explain to him that he needs to learn how to use a dictionary just in case he goes somewhere in the world where there is no Google. He said to me, “Grandad, if they don’t have Google, they won’t have a dictionary either.”
There are challenges that face libraries today. One thing that I have noticed is that populations are moving around and some libraries find themselves out of place—there is a gap between where the community lives and where the library is. That is a challenge for the libraries and for us in the community because there is a danger that we will lose some libraries. I hope that the cabinet secretary will comment on encouraging schools to house libraries so that we do not lose them and so that they work hand in glove in the sense that the schoolchildren, as well as the local communities, would be able to use them.
It is interesting that Hanzala Malik says that, because Mount Florida primary school told me today that it is installing—or, I suppose, reinstalling—a library with the help of Langside library.
That is a fantastic example; that is exactly what I am trying to suggest. When I became the chair of lifelong learning in Glasgow City Council, I wanted to introduce computers in libraries. I started off with a small pilot project in five libraries in Glasgow and everybody told me that I was wasting my time because everybody had a personal computer in their house, but the computers were a phenomenal hit. It brought home the message that people want to use the technology and the libraries’ facilities if they have the opportunity. Therefore, we rolled out the programme. Glasgow City Council has been good at supporting such innovation, but I would like more libraries to be placed closer to the communities that can use them.
I am running out of time. There was a lot that I wanted to say about libraries because I genuinely believe that they provide a service that we cannot do without. We need to reflect on the times and the challenges that libraries face.
Once again, I thank James Dornan for bringing the debate to Parliament. I hope that it will encourage the cabinet secretary to take on some of the ideas that have been suggested and encourage us to continue building on the heritage that we have in Scotland.
17:27
I congratulate James Dornan on securing the debate. The motion highlights the long history of libraries in Scotland and the almost immeasurable impact that they have on our lives as an opportunity to see wonderful buildings, as an opportunity to experience works of art and, perhaps most importantly, in providing access for all to a timeless treasury of great literature. For those reasons and many more, it is important to debate the issue in the Parliament.
As the MSP for Langside, James Dornan referred to the battle of Langside—the last battle of Mary, Queen of Scots. I reply as the cabinet secretary, but I am the MSP for Linlithgow, where she was born, so I bookend the debate rather suitably.
I wish Langside library a happy 100th birthday. It is wonderful that, after a centenary, the library is still going strong and bringing new services and sessions to its community that range from practical support from Macmillan Cancer Support and Citizens Advice Scotland, through local political engagements via surgeries with councillors and MSPs, to more leisurely pursuits such as storytelling sessions, coffee mornings and a knitting group.
The ethos of libraries has always been equality of opportunity, and that is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. Libraries offer crucial support to help people to help themselves. They support literacy, digital participation, learning, employability, health, culture and leisure. They improve the quality of people’s lives and support them to engage in the democratic process.
Only yesterday, at the sports, arts and culture working group that I co-chair with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, councillors from throughout Scotland—Glasgow City Council is not currently participating, so there were no councillors from there—talked with passion about not only their belief in libraries and their transformational role but the transformation that libraries are undertaking for the 21st century to maintain their role at the heart of the community. We discussed how local and national Government can best work together to support libraries. I caution members that, as easy as it is to reminisce about libraries, it is really important that we refer to libraries of the 21st century.
The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Library and Information Council to offer leadership to the sector. We recognise that libraries have a role in providing wider services, but the responsibility for them lies with local authorities. We have supported SLIC as it works with partners to develop a strategy for public libraries in Scotland. The strategy group is chaired by the chief executive officer of the Carnegie UK Trust, Martyn Evans, and is an opportunity for local authorities and other partners to agree a clear vision for the future of public library services. That is what we were discussing only yesterday.
Libraries play a key role in supporting Scottish Government policy in many areas; I would like to highlight two of those.
On the digital agenda, we are committed to increasing digital participation. Libraries play an important role in that, providing equipment and internet access for those who do not have it and supporting training to ensure that those who need to get online can get online.
The Scottish Government has provided SLIC with £300,000, which is supporting 138 libraries to install or improve wi-fi in their building. That is in addition to the £500,000 annual public library improvement fund that we provide to SLIC to support various projects in public libraries across Scotland, ranging from world war 1 projects to Lego reading clubs for young readers.
The second area where libraries make a significant impact is in the development of good literacy skills. The Scottish Government recognises that we need those skills. Our literacy action plan highlights the importance of reading as a valued activity from an early age and the benefits of reading in the home. A lot of the associated issues concern the issues of equality and opportunity that have been a theme of many of the speeches today. We aim to tackle the areas with the lowest levels of literacy and break the well-evidenced link between poverty and deprivation and poor literacy skills. The plan’s delivery and impact are being overseen by the standing literacy commission, which met for the final time in December and will produce a final report on the literacy action plan in the spring.
Libraries will have a key role to play in the new literacy and numeracy campaign for primaries 1 to 3—read, write, count—which will build on the success of the play, talk, read campaign and, of course, bookbug, in the early years.
Book week Scotland also promotes reading to all ages across Scotland, and libraries deliver much of the activity during the week. In 2014, book week Scotland saw approximately 481 events in libraries across all local authority areas, which were attended by 17,000 people. There is a real vibrancy to the activity in libraries, and we must recognise that.
During book week Scotland, the Scottish Book Trust invited everyone to send a love letter to their library, and the message was one of love and appreciation. As one young reader put it:
“Thank you for helping my brain to grow; for opening up my imagination and giving me dreams; helping me to learn to read and find out new things.”
Where better to encourage reading than in public libraries, which remain one of the free universal services that operate at the heart of communities across Scotland? Some 30 per cent of adults in Scotland use their library, and libraries remain the most frequently attended cultural venue, with almost seven out of 10 people visiting their library more than once a month.
Perhaps one thing that libraries could do better is to market themselves and remind people of all that they have to offer and do for people all over the country. Saturday 7 February is national libraries day across the country, and I think that we should all look for opportunities on that day to promote the work of libraries and to demonstrate how much those services are valued within our communities.
As James Dornan’s motion recognises, our libraries are part of our history and remain a vital part of our communities. Their offer is universal and democratic. Free access to books, reading, internet, public space, information and cultural, historical and learning opportunities are all vital in building a fairer, smarter, healthier and wealthier Scotland.
I will bring my remarks to a close by quoting Andrew Carnegie, who said:
“There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.”
As a child, my local library was my personal republic, where I first felt empowered and independent as an individual, and I see the light of liberation in my 10-year-old son’s eyes when he talks about his experience of a library.
Libraries are not just about history. They are about the present, and they are certainly about the future. Although libraries are about physical buildings and books, they are also, to a great degree, about the people who continue to serve in them. I salute all the people who have worked in Langside library over the past 100 years, and those who still work there.
Meeting closed at 17:34.Previous
Decision Time