Latest news with #AlisonNolan
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
School libraries across Lanarkshire set to benefit from £150k funding injection
School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF) supports creative and innovative projects in line with the key aims of 'Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools'. School libraries across Lanarkshire are set to benefit from a £150,000 funding injection earmarked for projects supporting the development of employability skills, digital literacy and family learning, through the 2025/26 School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF). Administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, SLIF supports creative and innovative projects in line with the key aims of 'Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools' - the national strategy for the development of school libraries. Open to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools in Lanarkshire, this year's fund will prioritise project applications which promote the themes of cross curricular working and developing employability skills, delivering digital literacy and exploring digital creativity, and cluster working and family learning. The 2025-26 SLIF brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to £1.87 million over the lifetime of the scheme. Announcing the opening of the fund for 2025-26, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth, said: 'School libraries are a vital part of the learning community across Scotland and we know they can help foster habits of reading for pleasure among our young people from an early age, which can support learning and help close the poverty related attainment gap. 'I am determined to ensure that our school libraries continue to prosper and would encourage all head teachers who think their school could benefit for this important funding to apply for a share of this £150,000 of investment from the Scottish Government. 'This year's fund will support family learning and help deliver more digital literacy and creativity, in line with our ambition to develop an innovation nation and support greater whole family support.' Seventeen projects across Scotland benefited from last year's funding boost of £150,000, which focused on developing literacy and numeracy, information and media literacy, and mental health support. Alison Nolan, chief executive officer of SLIC, said: 'The SLIF supports creative, innovative projects within Scotland's school libraries and every year, we are struck by the ingenuity of the forward-thinking services that drive progress with trailblazing projects that best meet the evolving needs of their school communities. 'With the latest funding pledge of £150,000 for school libraries announced, it's the perfect time for services to reflect on what's possible. "We encourage teams to think boldly about how they can develop and transform their offering, and submit an application that brings those ideas to life in support of pupils, parents and colleagues.' Lanarkshire schools can submit an individual or collaborative application, with SLIC accepting up to two individual applications per local authority and an unlimited number of collaborative applications to ensure equal opportunities across the country. The School Library Improvement Fund 2025-26 is now open; applications will close on August 27. To find out more, and apply, visit .
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow institutions awarded funding for library projects
The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) has granted a share of £34,000 to six libraries and information centres across Scotland, including three in Glasgow, to support pioneering projects in 2025. Since 2013, the SLIC Innovation and Development Fund has awarded more than £400,000 to more than 40 projects. Read more: Former STV presenter to compete in international beauty competition (Image: Supplied) Now in its 13th year, the Innovation and Development Fund has previously helped develop new resources, inspired original research, and enhanced staff training. This year, the fund will support projects including an AI toolkit for staff training, a chill-out space for students, and a podcast studio. Glasgow Clyde College's Cardonald Campus Library will use the funding to create a quiet place for students to take breaks, complete with a mindful selection of books and air-purifying plants. The project is designed to encourage reading for pleasure, thereby increasing literacy skills while promoting student well-being. The University of Strathclyde's Department of Computer and Information Sciences is hoping to develop an AI toolkit and set of guidelines for Scottish libraries. This will be used to educate and empower library staff to make optimum use of emerging generative AI tools for information-related tasks and activities. Meanwhile, Glasgow Women's Library will extend its Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALN) project, which supports women in understanding, reading, and writing words and numbers. The library aims to use the project to increase the knowledge of potential learners, partner organisations, and the general public. It also hopes to make the wider ALN project more accessible to women who struggle with literacy, or whose first language isn't English. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Concerns raised about drug use at historic Glasgow site Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: "Scotland's libraries and information centres continue to evolve, creating vibrant, future-facing spaces that meet the needs of the communities they serve – and the Innovation and Development Fund is a vital catalyst for that continued progression. "By backing bold, creative projects, we're not just supporting innovation but helping services redefine their offering in a rapidly changing world. "These six initiatives demonstrate the power of libraries to lead on digital skills, wellbeing and inclusive learning in both urban and rural communities." More information on the Innovation and Development Fund is available on the Scottish Library and Information Council's website.
