Join the campaign to highlight the importance of libraries

Ali Bowden
Director, Edinburgh
City of Literature Trust

23 February 2021

One of the essential components of Edinburgh as a City of Literature is her libraries: the small ones, the magnificent ones, the school ones and the community ones…libraries are a place where literature and community can come together. The #LibrariesAreEssential campaign is bringing the importance of libraries into focus, ahead of the Scottish Parliament Elections in May 2021.

Headed up by CILIP - Scotland’s organisation for library and information professionals - #LibrariesAreEssential is asking candidates standing for election to pledge to support libraries and their services, and asking members of the public to explain why they think libraries are a crucial part of a brighter future for Scotland.

If you have a case study which you think can support their case, or would like to add a supportive comment, the CILIP website is ready to add your voice to the campaign. Writers and poets are being encouraged to share creative responses to the #LibrariesAreEssential theme, with up to 40 lines of poetry or 500 words of prose, or a piece of art which explores libraries and their importance.

A sculpture made from a book in the shape of a tree

A gift from the mystery paper sculptor to the Scottish Poetry Library. '...We know that a Library is so much more than a building full of books'. (Photo credit: Chris Scott)

CILIP is asking all candidates standing for election to:

Support the funding of all libraries to ensure they can continue to support education, digital and information literacy, health and wellbeing, economic wellbeing and access to information.
Agree that misinformation is damaging society and eroding democracy, that libraries and information professionals are vital in combating this and that they should be valued and supported.
Ensure Local Government has the support required to ensure that they can deliver the new National Strategy for Public Libraries.
Ensure that school libraries and librarians are key components of curriculum delivery, as outlined in Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools, and that all school pupils have access to a trained librarian.

To find out more and to get involved, visit the #LibrariesAreEssential campaign page.