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Libraries launch Homecoming reading promotion

Thursday 26 March 2009

An innovative scheme to attract new readers was today launched by Scottish libraries. As part of the Homecoming Bookshare, a selection of Scottish titles will be released at locations across Scotland, like railway stations, airports and ferry terminals, and readers can then log their finds on the Scottish Readers website.

The scheme is already operational in East Dunbartonshire, where books have been placed at five train stations as well as a range of hotels and restaurants.

The Bookshare forms part of Scotland’s Homecoming reading promotion, Reading Roots, which was launched by Councillor Deidre Brock, Convenor of the Culture and Leisure Committee at City of Edinburgh Council, at Edinburgh’s McDonald Road Library on Thursday 26 March.

Reading Roots is supported by the Scottish Government through its Public Library Quality Improvement Fund (PLQIF) and has been developed by SLIC in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS), with the participation of all Scottish local authorities.

As part of the initiative, the Scottish Readers website has been re-designed with a dedicated Reading Roots area, focusing on Scottish themes and featuring a call for readers to ‘Get involved’ by submitting their choice of a book that best sums up Scotland.

The website features over 300 Scottish titles across 14 reading lists, which are drawn from a broad range of themes - from Scotland’s landscape to crimes and criminals. Nearly 60% of the books on the list come from Scottish Publishers.

Libraries will display quality promotional material, including 12 Robert Burns poetry posters, as well as a number of new, community-based collections. Libraries will also be running local promotional events and updated web resources will be added to the Scottish Readers website.

Elaine Fulton, Director of SLIC, said: “Libraries have been ‘recycling’ reading for over 150 years. Our key activities are based on principles of sharing and co-operating with other library services to ensure that the public has access to a wide range of reading materials. Scottish authors are very popular with the public who are always delighted to find new or overlooked authors, as well as enjoying their favourites.”

Christine May, former MSP and Chair of SLIC, said: “The new feature on the website are a welcome and imaginative addition for readers in Scotland and those involved are to be commended for its development. Readers will have great fun using it to find books that interest them.”

Contact: Rhona Arthur, Assistant Director, SLIC Tel: 01689 458888 Mob: 07778 285659

Notes for editors:

SLIC

The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) is the independent advisory body to the Scottish Government on library and information matters. SLIC was established in 1991 and is funded by organisational membership subscriptions. The Scottish Government partially funds the Council in its work and the National Library of Scotland also contributes financial assistance. SLIC members include all local authority, higher education and further education institutions, NHS Trust library services and other specialist library and information organisations.

CILIPS

CILIPS is the Scottish arm of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, the professional body for librarians and information professionals in the UK. Formed in 2002 by the amalgamation of the Library Association and the Institute of Information Scientists, CILIPS undertakes the representation of CILIP in the Scottish context and works on behalf of Scottish members to improve and support Scottish library and information services.

PLQIF

The PLQIF was launched by the Scottish Executive in 2006/07 to support the Public Library Quality Improvement Matrix (PLQIM), a quality assurance and performance monitoring framework for public libraries. PLQIM was developed by SLIC in collaboration with the Scottish Executive. PLQIF financial support is awarded by SLIC on an annual basis to assist public library services in the implementation of PLQIM.