Grants for School Library Improvement Fund awarded

School libraries across Scotland have been awarded funding totalling £200,000 for projects focused on anti-racism, diversity, and racial equality.  

In 2022-23 18 initiatives across 10 local authorities will benefit from the School Library Improvement Fund grants.

These include Strathaven Academy in South Lanarkshire, which will receive £5,000 to develop a diversity and racial equality education initiative to promote and develop anti-racist education.

Ross High School in East Lothian will be supported with £50,000 for its community programme that will encourage pupils and staff to have the confidence to challenge and appropriately respond to discrimination and prejudice.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “School libraries play a key role for young people by providing access to educational resources, supporting learning and helping to close the poverty-related attainment gap.

“The School Library Improvement Fund continues to support creative and innovative projects in school libraries.

“The anti-racism focus of the projects will allow school libraries to engage with pupils on the importance of belonging, inclusion and social justice.”

 Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council, said: “School libraries play a valuable role in education and learning, and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential.  Projects funded through programmes like SLIF help to improve and expand the services school libraries can provide, so it’s great to see such strong applications coming in from schools eager to further develop these resources.

“We’re particularly proud to award support to those advocating for anti-racism and anti-discrimination through this year’s Fund and we can’t wait to see these initiatives come to fruition.”