Public Library Quality Improvement Matrix > Scottish Borders - PALM (Providing Access to Language Materials)

The initiative sought to reach migrant worker communities and offer relevant reading material in appropriate languages. The project has made good progress, supported by advice from other authorities and help from ESOL tutors and other agencies such as the Polish Library Association. Lease collections of Polish and other language materials are now available in all libraries and ESOL material is also in place. The launch was successful with one elderly Polish lady with only a little English collecting 10 books and leaving the library with a broad smile.

A Library Welcome pack is being developed and translated. Issues are still low but feedback is positive and a customer satisfaction survey is being translated to help gauge impact. Unsolicited and informal feedback from Scottish Enterprise has been very favourable. Scottish Enterprise staff report that the local migrant workers are very appreciative of the foreign language provision that has been put in place by the library service.

Translation costs have been less than expected, so that budgets have had to be realigned to meet the costs of a promotional event, as the initial marketing budget had not included costs for a "meet the agencies" type event. The project has helped to highlight a need for project management skills training amongst some staff. Scottish Borders Library Services have already shared their experience to help other library services supporting with migrant workers.