£150,000 for school library projects in Scotland

Book Week Scotland has opened with the announcement of 17 projects receiving grants totalling £150,000.

The School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF) will invest in projects including the S'More Reading for Mental Health initiative which involves Fraserburgh, Inverurie and Mintlaw Academies in Aberdeenshire, which was awarded £12,260 for using replica campfires, tents, and nature toys to encourage relaxing storytelling.

The Craigie Book Blether at Edinburgh's Craigentinny Primary won £3,200 through its initiatives to cultivate a reading community and involve parents using "reading picnics" in the library.

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

“As Book Week Scotland gets underway, it’s an important time to reflect on the vital role school libraries play in supporting improved literacy and communications skills in our children. 

“I am very pleased to see a range of creative projects benefit from this funding, which will ultimately encourage more young people to read for enjoyment.”

Alison Nolan, chief executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), said:

“School libraries play such an important role in providing a safe space for young people to learn while also expanding their horizons through the world of reading.

“Programmes like SLIF allow school libraries across the breadth of the country to tailor their offering to the pupils who make use of the library on a daily basis, and it’s great to see so many deserving projects receive confirmation of their award to kick off Book Week Scotland.”

Find out more on the full list of projects to receive funding for 2024-25 here.