The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-12195, in the name of Colin Beattie, on the importance of libraries. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes that 7 February 2015 marks National Library Day, a UK-wide day of events that allows users to celebrate libraries and their staff; notes that the events cover a wide range of activities, including book swaps, treasure hunts and author visits; considers that National Library Day is of great importance in highlighting the role that libraries play in communities, including in Midlothian North and Musselburgh; considers that this role can include access to valuable information that would not otherwise be easily accessible to low-income families and households; notes that 3.6% of libraries in Scotland were closed between 2008 and 2013, compared with 7.9% in England and 11% and 11.5% in Wales and Northern Ireland respectively in the same period, and celebrates libraries for their significance in providing culture and education to the people of Scotland.
12:32
I must begin with a confession: I am a bookaholic. From a very early age, I was a member of the local library in my home town of Forfar. I could not afford to purchase books, but the local library opened a window into a new world. Somehow, I found time to read several books a week. Books—fiction and non-fiction—were all grist to the mill. My vocabulary improved and I learned about places and peoples from around the world. In those days, when even television was limited—and before the internet—that was the only real way to discover the world that we live in.
I have never lost my love of reading or my love of books—it must surely be a coincidence that I married a fellow book junkie, thus compounding the problem. As the years have passed, we have collected more and more books, and now our house groans under the weight of around 8,000 of them. One day, I will go through them and dispose of duplicates and so on but, for the moment, it is one-way traffic.
Members can therefore imagine that I feel strongly about libraries, their importance and their place in our communities. Libraries still represent a vital route to learning and development, not just through their conventional supply of books but because of all the added-value services, such as their provision of audio books, CDs, DVDs, internet access and all the rest.
Libraries have played a vital role in our history. They have been a part of Scottish culture for centuries, and some Scottish universities can trace the history of their libraries back to the 15th century. Of course, those university libraries were for students and faculty only. The public had no access and, indeed, the ruling class was not keen that the ordinary man be educated. It was not until the 19th century, when the Public Libraries Act 1850 was passed, that communities were allowed to build public libraries that offered free access, thus giving citizens the right to inform themselves from information that libraries provided.
A huge boost came in the form of Andrew Carnegie, who recognised libraries as one of the best ways in which he could give back. As a young boy, he understood the importance of libraries, which is why, when he could not pay the $2 price of a library card, he wrote to the library administrator in protest. The administrator denied his request for free access to the library, so he had his letter published in the local newspaper. Eventually, the library caved in to the public pressure that was brought on by the letter and opened its doors to working men and apprentices.
It should be no surprise to learn that Andrew Carnegie regarded his experience with reading and libraries as one of the keystones of his success and saw free public libraries as essential for the future success of any community. During his lifetime, he funded the building of more than 2,800 libraries worldwide, the first of which was established in Scotland in 1883, in his home town of Dunfermline. Many more Scottish Carnegie libraries followed, from Dumfries to Aberdeen, and they all helped their communities by offering invaluable information to those who had previously had no access to books.
Scotland has more than 500 public libraries, where members of our communities can go to enjoy library facilities free of charge. However, the tradition of genuinely free public libraries, which is now almost two centuries old, finds itself somewhat at risk. Across the United Kingdom, libraries are disappearing, and some people are asking what their purpose is. Between 2008 and 2013, 3.6 per cent of Scottish libraries were closed. Although that number is not welcome, it is still much smaller than numbers from around the UK. In England, 7.9 per cent of libraries have closed their doors, while the figures are 11 per cent in Wales and 11.5 per cent in Northern Ireland. Such closures have often been a result of the pressure on councils to make cuts, but I fear that councils are sometimes a wee bit too eager to close publicly funded libraries.
As I have said, a small number of people wonder why, in this digital age of laptops and tablets, we need stacks of old dusty books, but such an assertion is easily addressed when we realise that our modern-day libraries are much more than just stacks of books. Scottish libraries are community centres that have kept to their original tradition of embracing equality without regard to income or background. Through the generations, libraries have continued to allow those from all backgrounds to come, learn and enjoy. Children of all ages can pick up and read a book for free, which is important for those from lower-income families who would otherwise have no place where they could access such materials or expand their imagination and knowledge.
Libraries not only help people to improve their understanding of the world but offer public meeting places where people with common interests or needs can come together and where people who are searching for a social group to belong to can find one. Another essential service is access to free wi-fi and to computers. That is particularly crucial for those who are disadvantaged, who are on a low income or who, like 39 per cent of people in my Midlothian constituency, do not have internet access in their own homes. For those Scottish citizens, libraries are vital, and the addition of free wi-fi and computer access is proof that our libraries are continuing to adapt and evolve to better meet our communities’ needs.
I recognise that access to the vast amount of information available on the internet has in some ways replaced the need for students and researchers to rummage through piles of books in libraries to find facts or other data. However, in a world where every two days we create more data than was created from the beginning of human history to 2003, it is important to have a place where information is organised and stored and where experts are available to guide people through it all, free of charge.
Libraries across the country and in my constituency were very much involved in celebrating national library day on 7 February through various services and a number of diverse activities. Book groups for all ages were created throughout the country; there were many special visits from famous authors, who read and discussed their works with Scottish communities; Harry Potter night celebrations were held; there were iPad tutorials; and Dalkeith library in my constituency held a build a biscuit city activity for children and a textiles workshop at which knitting, crochet and needle felting were taught. National library day 2015 was a great success for all the participating libraries, and I trust that it will continue to be so in the years to come.
No debate on our libraries would be complete without highlighting the staff who work in them. Librarians and their staff are in a unique position as they support our communities and continue the tradition of dedicated services from which we all benefit. Without them and their commitment, our libraries would not be the success that they are.
All of us in the chamber and across Scotland have a responsibility to ensure that our public libraries have a secure future. Libraries need our support, and it is our responsibility to provide that support and protect their future in Scotland.
We are very tight for time, so if members could limit themselves to four minutes or thereby, I would be grateful.
12:39
Andrew Carnegie famously said:
“A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.”
Like many others, I share Andrew Carnegie’s passion about the importance of libraries, so I thank Colin Beattie for securing today’s valuable debate.
National library day was marked on 7 February. It was an opportunity for us all to celebrate the contribution that libraries make to communities across Scotland. In East Renfrewshire in my region, where I live, national library day coincided with the opening of brand new library facilities at the Barrhead Foundry. Since its opening, the Barrhead Foundry has quickly become a community hub for residents that offers first-class library services alongside enhanced sports facilities, a business resource centre, digital services and a cafe. The new home of Barrhead library offers a range of services for people of all ages and includes a great collection of books and other resources. Across the country, public libraries such as that are at the heart of communities, giving people the chance to enhance their learning and develop a passion for reading.
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs has previously highlighted the key role that libraries play in overcoming barriers to literacy and educational attainment. A few weeks ago, I spoke in the debate on educational attainment and outlined some of the work that the Education and Culture Committee is undertaking in that area.
Evidence from the 2009 programme for international student assessment survey suggests that increasing reading engagement has the potential to reduce approximately 30 per cent of the attainment gap that is associated with poverty. It is clear that libraries have a vital role to play in breaking the link between poverty and educational attainment, especially as studies show that children from poorer backgrounds tend to have fewer books at home and are less likely to be read to by their parents.
It is important that we engage as many young people as possible with reading from an early age, so I am delighted that the Scottish Government has introduced a pilot scheme to look at ensuring that every child is automatically given membership of their local library. The project is being run by the Scottish Library and Information Council with the support of the Scottish Government’s public library improvement fund, and I look forward to hearing the outcome of the pilot scheme once it is complete. I also very much welcome other initiatives introduced by the Scottish Government to encourage reading and improve literacy standards, including book week Scotland, the play, talk, read campaign and the recently announced read, write, count initiative.
I will conclude by focusing on the provision of school library services, which the Scottish Library and Information Council has been looking at in great detail recently. Research carried out by Professor Dorothy Williams of Robert Gordon University has found considerable evidence of the positive impact that school libraries have on learning. Professor Williams found that school libraries not only contribute to better educational attainment but help to successfully deliver curriculum outcomes and promote positive attitudes to literacy and reading.
When my daughter went to secondary school, she was a beneficiary of that very process. Going along as a new pupil at a secondary school—nervous, as new pupils are—she went to the library and found not only a place that was full of books but somewhere to meet friends, join book clubs, get a book buddy and have teachers, and the professional librarian in particular, help her to help herself with her own literacy and expand her reading capacity. I was greatly concerned to learn that some local authorities have brought forward proposals to reduce the provision of full-time professional librarian services in schools, particularly in the light of the Scottish Government’s focus on tackling the educational attainment gap.
The “Read On. Get On.” report published last year suggested that 40 per cent of families from the poorest households have fewer than 10 children’s books at home. Studies also suggest that a significant proportion of children do not visit public libraries, so the only place that many children are exposed to books is at school, which makes the service offered by professional school librarians even more important. I therefore ask the cabinet secretary to outline the Scottish Government’s view on the importance of school library services and their role in raising attainment and literacy levels among children.
Libraries have been a vital educational tool for ordinary people for more than a century. Let us make sure that we support and maintain our public libraries and our school libraries.
12:43
I thank Colin Beattie for lodging the motion. As a previous city councillor and now as a parliamentarian, I have seen at first hand the provision offered by and the positive effects of the 33 Glasgow City Council libraries. Those public institutions play such an important role in providing equal access to information, services and media, especially for people in low-income households, who are often denied access to the internet and wi-fi, which is so important in today’s world. Scotland’s libraries offer 8.5 million hours of free internet access each year.
Scotland has prided itself on education and literacy since the 18th century. It is through our libraries that we continue that great tradition, by providing people with free access to information in books and online or through other media, such as CDs, DVDs and Braille. People who speak foreign languages are not excluded, and they are provided with the same services, including newspapers from overseas.
Libraries have begun to change with the times to better match the public’s needs. An excellent example of the potential of libraries is the partnership between Glasgow libraries and Macmillan Cancer Support. Through Glasgow’s libraries, Macmillan has begun to offer the people of Glasgow access to community-based cancer information and support services.
The member mentions Glasgow. Does he also welcome examples such as the library at the bridge, where the library serves the public and the college, with a swimming pool at the same venue?
Absolutely. Those are just some of the good examples that we have in and around Scotland.
The partnership that I mentioned is just one way in which libraries can be better used to serve the communities around them.
I welcome the celebration of national library day on 7 February, when we showed our pride in Glasgow’s libraries. Although we celebrate national library day, we must work hard to maintain our libraries. We must ensure that local authorities are funded so that libraries not only maintain provision at the current level but increase their facilities.
It is important to note that local authorities quite frequently use the excuse of relocation to close libraries. That must change. We must be more serious about how we provide our libraries to the communities around us. Attaching libraries to schools, colleges and universities is a good example. In addition, when we rebuild libraries, we should ensure that we do not allow the services that they provide to citizens around Scotland to be eroded.
Many people have experienced good services through libraries. We want that to continue. If libraries attach themselves to educational institutions, particularly schools, that will ensure that people are introduced to libraries at a very early age, which is when they will benefit most.
12:48
I commend Colin Beattie for bringing the debate to the chamber. Libraries are clearly one of the most important assets in any community for a variety of reasons. Celebrating their work is an important duty of any elected member, not least because they are so preciously regarded by the majority of our constituents. National library day gives us, and them, the perfect opportunity to do that.
Of course, there are many types of libraries these days and they can no longer be viewed in quite the same way as they once were, as bastions of silence, presided over by formidable-looking librarians who would not countenance the slightest degree of inappropriate decorum from the reading public. I remember at school being terrified by the school librarian, who wanted a reason for every book we took out, so we never took out any books referring to sex, drugs or rock and roll.
When Andrew Carnegie built his first library in 1883 in Dunfermline, he required recipients of his philanthropy to demonstrate two key things: first, that the community was in need of the facility, which in 19th century Scotland was possibly self-evident, and, secondly, that services would always be free. The extraordinary revolution that Carnegie created has clearly changed over time but it is just as important as ever, as libraries have been transformed from silent spaces of reading into bustling hubs of activity covering all aspects of community living.
It has been pointed out that libraries host free classes and events for local people that would be unavailable to many were it not for the Carnegie model, which became the basis for all the library services in the United Kingdom. Libraries run hugely popular and successful activities for children and schools and are often the focal point for local communities. That is particularly true in many rural communities that might have seen a reduction in other rural services, such as their post office, local shop or police counter. Even the library bus is eagerly awaited in many rural communities. Library buses can give much-needed comfort to many elderly citizens who would not find it easy to move further afield. In other words, libraries have a huge social value that can never be overestimated.
It is clear that a seismic shift has been brought about by the internet. Now, 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 and a seemingly limitless supply of books available at our fingertips wherever we are. The nature of our need for libraries may be changing but, as is demonstrated on a weekly basis, as a meeting place, community centre, learning hub, coffee shop and even swimming pool, the library continues to play a vital role for communities across Scotland.
The proliferation of digital communication is far from being a major stumbling block. That proliferation has whole-heartedly embraced the Scottish library system. Many people’s first interaction with the internet takes place in a library. Indeed, I would strongly argue that libraries have become more and not less attractive as a result.
Notwithstanding that, there are pressures on libraries. Those pressures often come from local authorities, which are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain library facilities on the same basis as before with spending restraints. How many times have we heard members of the public raise concerns when the first cuts that are made by a local authority are in those areas that are not seen to be front line, such as museums, libraries and galleries? It is not just about low-income families accessing facilities; it is about everybody using them.
As I said before, libraries are the hub of local rural and urban life.
12:51
I join others in warmly congratulating Colin Beattie on securing the debate. I hope that he was not subject to a late fine for its scheduling.
On 7 February, James Dornan and I, finding ourselves far from home, pitched up at the Blantyre library in Malawi. Unfortunately, it was on a Sunday and the library was closed, but I think that our note of solidarity did not go unremarked upon.
Despite the delay, it is important that we are having this debate, as Colin Beattie acknowledged. At a time when many libraries across the United Kingdom feel or are under threat of cuts or closure, it is important that we acknowledge the value of public and school libraries and, indeed, celebrate the contribution that they make.
In a digital age, the question of the relevance of libraries and even the value of books—possibly even including the noble tome that the former First Minister is preparing to unleash very shortly on an expectant world—has been raised. The Orkney library and archive provides a compelling answer to that question. That library is one of the most successful libraries, and I understand that it is the oldest—it was founded in 1683 as Bibliotheck of Kirkwall. It is embedded in the local community, but it has done a great deal to enhance its reputation nationally and internationally. The examples that underpin that are certainly the history and heritage resources that it has available, the innovative use that it has made of social media—I will touch on that in a moment—and the focus on providing the highest levels of customer service. They are probably reflected in libraries across the country.
Access is fundamental to the role that libraries play across the country. Physical access is important. I remember the libraries in Kirkwall and Stromness providing a bolthole from the elements. People can go into libraries out of the rain, and they invariably stay longer than they intended.
Delivering library services in an archipelago provides particular challenges. It is to the great credit of the libraries in Orkney and Shetland that they have done that for over 60 years. I remember from when I was younger that the black plastic library boxes that were delivered to the house were eagerly anticipated treasure troves. Sixty years on, in collaboration with its counterparts in Shetland, Orkney library undertook the 24 islands/24 hours series of events, with the authors Ann Cleeves and Lin Anderson leading the way.
Obviously, things have moved on. The use of web-based models and e-books is a modern approach to delivering services in the community that I represent. Although that may not be as exciting as the arrival of the small black boxes, it is probably more practical.
That rising to the challenge of the digital age is reflected in the move to reach out to new users. Orkney library has an award-winning social media presence—it has won two golden twits. I should make special mention of Stewart Bain for his tweets and Facebook posts. It is invidious to draw out one, but I will do so. His 12 days of Christmas tweets recently culminated in a picture of Steve Coogan’s autobiography tucked inside the autobiography of a former Dr Who actor under the title, “And a Partridge in a Pertwee”.
The access that the library provides goes beyond the access that it provides to books. It acts as a hub for bookbug sessions and one-to-one information technology tuition. The fact that it has been used as a hub for health visitors to deliver health checks and to promote early years developmental activities and has been involved in partnerships with the Orkney Talking Newspaper, the Orkney Family History Society and the George Mackay Brown Fellowship demonstrates the breadth and reach of the library.
To avoid any accusation of bias on my part, in concluding by quoting from Lin Anderson’s “A Love Letter to Kirkwall Library”, I will replace “Kirkwall” with “Orkney”, as I am sure that she did not mean to exclude Stromness. She wrote:
“Orkney has embraced the future of books with enthusiasm and determination.”
She also said:
“Orkney library is to my mind everything that is wonderful about libraries and the services they bring to people.”
I again thank Colin Beattie for giving Parliament an opportunity to put on record our collective gratitude for the contribution that libraries and their staff make to communities right across the country.
12:56
I, too, congratulate Colin Beattie on securing the debate. Incidentally, this will be my second speech in a debate on libraries in as many weeks, but I do not mind, because I have loads of time for libraries. I boast that I passed higher English at grade A as a result of coming across critiques of Shakespeare in Blackhall library.
In my early days as a teacher in Woodmill in Fife, I and the librarian, the redoubtable Dorothy Devlin, took the mystery and the horror and fear out of libraries. Many young people were inhibited from crossing their thresholds. That was 40 years ago and a lot has changed since then.
I am still an aficionado of libraries but mostly now through my surgery visits to Newtongrange and Gorebridge libraries on the first Friday of each month—that was a free ad. This month, Newtongrange library, which has flowers on the counter—take note Gorebridge, which has no flowers—had its burst n books project. Incidentally, it is also celebrating its 50th anniversary. That project was set up in Mayfield library in Colin Beattie’s constituency with national health service funding and was headed by Isobel Allen, the manager of Mayfield library, with input from staff and pupils from Mayfield primary. The aim of the project was to support and interest particularly boys between the ages of six and eight whose reading ages were below par and who, in general, would give books a body swerve.
So what is the project? In Newtongrange library, there are 20 themed bags full of goodies, which cover a range of topics, including deadly creatures, horrible histories, mental maths, terrible T rex and mobile monsters; I want to get one myself. It is not just books that are inside the canvas bags—there are theme-related toys, DVDs and so on. It is a real Santa Claus present. The library service provides funds for those materials from its budget. It is a great idea, and I should point out—I do not wish to stereotype—that girls can get the bags, too.
As for Gorebridge library—I look forward to the new carpeting; I promised that I would say that—it, too, was humming with activity when I visited, and not just in the computer room. The midspace people such as Fiona Sharp were at the ready to advise on local services on mental health and wellbeing, and Jonathan Coward was there to provide support for vulnerable people who have been affected by welfare reform and who do not have computers at home—Colin Beattie mentioned that. The aim is to help them to use the library’s personal computer suites. I was there, too, of course, sitting among the autobiographies, meeting constituents and reading some of the autobiographies when business was a bit slack.
I want to put on record my thanks to the librarians at both those libraries for their good humour and, in Newtongrange library, the cup of coffee and the biscuit—take note again, Gorebridge—and for looking after me and everyone who steps over their thresholds. Members can see all those good people and the facilities on my Facebook pages. I also want to congratulate Midlothian Council—for once—on its commitment to continuing to support those libraries, which are community centres.
I have a message for Cameron Buchanan and Liam McArthur with regard to the former First Minister’s forthcoming autobiography: I understand that there are currently no plans to include references to sex, drugs or rock and roll; he assures me that he is leaving those for the sequel.
Thank you for that vibrant speech.
12:59
I thank Colin Beattie for bringing the debate to the chamber and offering us the opportunity to discuss the important role that our libraries play. Not only do they ensure that everyone can take pleasure in reading, regardless of their economic situation; they broaden our personal education and ensure access to our culture. They encourage a love of reading and they offer choice and depth to the reader not only through what is on the shelves but through ordering and requesting books from all across Scotland.
National library day is a day to celebrate all that libraries give us. Libraries play a huge part in family life and the day gives us a chance to recognise that and celebrate everything that they offer. My local library was very important to me as a child and I can remember the excitement and anticipation of reaching the age of 14 and being able to move up to the adult section of the library—although perhaps I was not looking for the same books as my colleague Mr Buchanan.
As a student at the University of Edinburgh, I was able to use the National Library of Scotland, and we should all recognise the importance not only of our local services but of the service that the National Library provides.
Libraries have changed and modernised. Even in an increasingly digital and technological age, with many more entertainment and relaxation choices available to us, libraries are still hugely important. In Fife, we have seen investment in our libraries, with the refurbished Kirkcaldy library and galleries opening a few years ago. That has created a fantastic multipurpose space with a gallery, a library, a cafe, a museum and family history services.
Of course, the first of Carnegie’s public libraries was in his birthplace, Dunfermline. Opened in 1883, the library building displays a stylised sun with the carved motto “Let there be light” at the entrance. The library is being invested in for the 21st century and it is a great example of our continuing commitment to libraries.
However, there is more to do across Scotland to improve access to e-books in particular through our lending service and to improve wi-fi access in libraries, which can be quite patchy across the country.
How do we ensure a culture of reading in Scotland so that we reap the educational benefits that that brings for the individual, our society and our economy? Last week, we had world book day. Like many parents across the country, I was pulling together a favourite character costume for my child. Events such as world book day promote and celebrate reading and it is wonderful to see children enjoying reading.
Over the summer, lots of libraries offer the big reading challenge, which encourages reading outside the school term. In South Australia, they have a very successful reading challenge that has increased in popularity over the years. Labour would look to introduce a First Minister’s reading prize, which would encourage schoolchildren to read at least 12 books during the school year. In South Australia, 95 per cent of schools take part in the challenge; among those taking part in the challenge there is an almost 50:50 split between boys and girls; and the cost is minimal. In 2013, the budget for the programme was 340,000 Australian dollars. Due to the uptake, that was less than 3 dollars per student.
Evidence from across the world shows a correlation between general reading and academic achievements. We need to inspire our children to get into the habit of reading and using libraries. The knock-on benefits for the Scottish book scene would be very positive. We should also be looking at ways to support our Scottish publishing sector through the procurement process.
Public sector finances are under severe pressure and local authorities and cultural trusts will be looking at the services that they provide. I urge them to exercise caution around the library service. That is not to say that there should not be any change—they need to look at the viability of individual libraries, at the borrowing numbers, and at better ways of delivering services—but libraries are vital. They are publicly funded, they are accessible, they remove educational barriers and they should be valued now and well into the future.
13:03
Welcome to this annual meeting of bookaholics not very anonymous. I am very privileged to be part of that group.
Libraries are a valuable source of information. They also protect our heritage over the long term. It is no accident that one of the first things that totalitarian regimes and extremists generally go for is books and libraries. ISIS has destroyed 100,000 books in Mosul in recent weeks. In April 2003, the national library and archive of Iraq—hundreds of thousands of books—was all but lost.
When the Japanese went to China during the second world war, one of their first targets was to destroy books, and more than a million books and documents were destroyed. Of course, in the 1930s, the Nazis notoriously burnt books with which they disagreed.
Books can be radical and extreme and they are highly varied. We should value them in all their variety, because they tell us about where we come from and inform us about where we are going.
Like, I am sure, many other members, I use libraries considerably. The local libraries in Buckie and Fraserburgh play host to my surgeries there. While I am waiting, I can pop next door and see what is going on, read the newspapers that the libraries get or dip into books. Surprisingly, no one so far has mentioned the National Library of Scotland, which is absolutely—[Interruption.] I beg members’ pardon; it has been signalled that I was not listening correctly. I have my reading card for the National Library of Scotland with me. Disappointingly, I note that it is due for renewal on general election day, so I have a suspicion that I might not manage to get along that day to renew it.
In places such as the National Library of Scotland, there are unique opportunities to find out information that can be found nowhere else. I am interested in genealogy—both my own and other people’s. I know that my great-grandfather earned £70 a year in 1862 as a missionary for the Scottish Coast Mission. There seem to be only four pieces of paper left about that institution, and one of them—an annual report that shows how much my great-grandfather earned—is in the National Library of Scotland. Archives and libraries go hand in hand. I have a tiny bit of paper showing that my great-great-great-grandfather served in the Navy. I was able to go to the Public Record Office at Kew and get the ship’s logs from 1780, when he served on HMS Medway.
Let us have a wee think about the electronic world. The National Library of Scotland is doing a great deal to address the transient nature of so much of our electronic information. I invite Liam McArthur to think carefully about whether the modern electronic world is better than the paper world that we have been used to. Whenever I can, I sit in a bath with a cup of tea and a book in my hand. I can assure members that my wife sweats less when I drop a book in the bath, because a hairdryer is all that is needed to remedy that, but dropping an e-book in the bath is another matter altogether, not because of the electrical implications but because the e-book tends to suffer a bit.
I congratulate Colin Beattie on giving us the opportunity to think about literature and libraries. I hope that we will hear some interesting things from the cabinet secretary about the future security of our library services.
13:08
I, too, congratulate Colin Beattie on securing this members’ business debate and on his eloquent speech.
The motion highlights the great work that libraries do not just on national libraries day but all year round. As Christine Grahame pointed out, this is the second opportunity that the Parliament has taken to debate libraries in recent weeks, following James Dornan’s debate on 3 February on Langside library’s 100th anniversary. I welcome the opportunity to continue the discussion and to reflect on the passion that members have for their local libraries. Stewart Stevenson gave us an international perspective when he reflected on the power of books and the cultural outrage caused by the destruction of libraries in times of conflict and war.
The Scottish Government places great importance on our public libraries, because they bring real social benefits to people and communities. Cameron Buchanan reflected on the Carnegie legacy, but it is important that we emphasise that libraries are changing—and that is not just about the carpets in Gorebridge, or the Fife refurbishment to which Claire Baker referred.
Libraries offer crucial support to help people help themselves. They support literacy, digital participation, learning, employability, health, culture and leisure; they improve the quality of people’s lives; and they support people to engage in the democratic process. Hanzala Malik talked about the Macmillan partnership, which is an important development. Stewart Maxwell talked about Barrhead library and raised an important point about attainment and school libraries. I undertake to ensure that the education minister responds to him. I emphasise that we see school libraries as a vital part of supporting our literacy campaigns.
As noted in the motion, there have been fewer library closures in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. We should recognise that libraries in Scotland are performing extremely well—in fact, Scottish library services have won the UK’s library of the year accolade at The Bookseller industry awards for the past three years. Midlothian won last year, which is an amazing achievement for the second smallest mainland local authority in Scotland. All that is great news but I am sure that members will agree that there is no room for complacency.
The Scottish Government recognises how important libraries are in delivering national priorities. Specific Government support for public libraries comes through funding for the Scottish Library and Information Council so that it can offer leadership to the sector. SLIC also distributes our £500,000 per year public libraries improvement fund, which is available to contribute to local projects.
We also support SLIC as it works with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other partners to develop a strategy for public libraries in Scotland. The strategy group is chaired by the chief executive of the Carnegie UK Trust, Martyn Evans. Building the strategy gives local authorities and other partners the opportunity to agree a clear vision for the future of public library services. The strategy is due to be published later this year. I undertake to identify the scope of the school library issue that Stewart Maxwell brought up.
SLIC has refreshed its quality assurance toolkit, which allows local authorities to self-evaluate their library services. “How Good is our Public Library Service? A Public Library Improvement Model for Scotland”, which was published in August 2014, is designed to recognise the requirements of the public library service and its role in supporting other areas of policy. It forms part of our “How good is our culture and sport?” framework, which local authorities use to assess the performance of cultural services.
Libraries have a crucial role to play in helping to tackle inequalities and empower communities. Liam McArthur addressed that well in his speech. The support that libraries give to digital skills development is a great example of community engagement. Libraries provide equipment and internet access for those who do not have it and they offer training to those who are unsure of how to go about getting online.
Those opportunities are about finding new ways of creating new partnerships and ventures and exploring new ways of reaching out to and inspiring new audiences in our communities. They are very important, and the library sector is engaged in developing a vision for the sector through work on the strategy.
On national libraries day, SLIC announced a really exciting pilot project to give every child in Scotland an automatic library membership card. The every child a library member pilots will take place in partnership with local authorities and I am delighted to say that 30 local authorities have expressed an interest in being involved. That would be a rather big pilot, but that level of interest shows the enthusiasm that exists. The development of the pilots is still at an early stage but the intention is to give children a completed library card at various stages from birth to primary school.
I can narrow the field down from 30 to one. I suggest that the pilot should start in Midlothian because it has done so well with awards over the years and has the smallest council area.
We should be generous to all the other areas and share the opportunity.
The pilots, which are being supported by the public libraries improvement fund, will run in the next financial year and will encourage Scotland’s children and their parents to enjoy books from an early stage. That builds on our existing commitment to encourage reading and improve literacy standards through two initiatives that I have launched as a Government minister: the play talk read campaign, which has been running for some time, and book week Scotland. We have also just announced the read write count initiative.
National libraries day is one of many opportunities for libraries to promote their activities and host special events. Another example is world book day, which was last week, on Thursday 5 March, as Claire Baker said. I had a bit of a problem with that. My 10-year-old does not like getting dressed up so, when I asked him what he wanted to do to help to celebrate, he decided to put on a hoodie and be Percy Jackson from “The Lightning Thief” stories. I thought that that was a very creative way of dealing with a challenge while celebrating world book day. World book day is an opportunity to encourage library visits, with author events, school and nursery visits to libraries and special bookbug sessions.
World book night on 23 April is the next significant date for spreading the love of reading. We should all get behind those initiatives—world book night, world book day, national libraries day and book week Scotland—and use the opportunity to celebrate.
Libraries have been particularly important in the book week Scotland initiative, which has been running since 2012 and is a very important initiative. In 2014, approximately 481 events were held in libraries across all local authority areas, attended by 17,000 people. Musselburgh library was one of five libraries to receive a commissioned artwork as part of book week Scotland 2014.
As I have said before, one thing that libraries could do better is market themselves, to remind people of all that they have to offer and what they do for people all over the country. I am sure that the libraries strategy will help them to do that. As for other activities and how we can demonstrate the value of libraries, SLIC has developed a Scottish reading strategy with local authorities. There is a calendar of events that allows SLIC and libraries to maximise their impact on audiences.
As the motion recognises, libraries are an important and powerful part of our communities. Their offer is universal and democratic, and we should be very proud to support them as a cornerstone of our society.
13:15 Meeting suspended.Previous
First Minister’s Question Time