Published: 24 October 2006
Community Libraries Programme gets ‘Big’
Libraries across England are widening their attraction to local communities with a multi-million pound injection from the Big Lottery Fund.
The Fund is putting £80 million in Lottery ‘good cause money’ into strengthening the place of libraries in community life with a new scheme that opened for application on 9th October 2006.
The Community Libraries programme will provide capital funding to improve library buildings so that they can offer a broader range of activities to their visitors. The scheme has been developed together with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).
The programme is intended to help create new spaces in libraries, bringing under one roof activities as diverse as:
· reading groups
· advice services
· local history workshops
· mother and toddler groups
· community meetings
· exhibitions and performances
· healthy living workshops
· language courses
· family learning
It is open to Local Authority Library Services in England and will support bids for funds that clearly demonstrate that local communities are actively engaged in the development, delivery and management of the projects.
The Big Lottery Fund will make grants of between £250,000 and £2,000,000 for projects lasting up to three years.
Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, Sir Clive Booth said:
“An increasing number of people are using library services and it is clear that our local libraries are at their best when they act as focal points for community life; providing a range of reading, learning and information activities.
Many libraries are already operating in this way; more want to, but lack the capital funds needed to transform or modify their buildings.
The Fund’s new programme has been put together in response to this need and following extensive consultation with the libraries sector.
Libraries made clear to us that they would welcome Lottery funding to put libraries at the centre of community life, bringing together a range of community uses and activities under their roofs.
The Big Lottery Fund is determined to ensure that our funding, under the Community Libraries programme, is additional to other funding and supports activities which wouldn’t otherwise be supported.”
John Dolan, MLA Head of Library Policy said:
“We welcome this programme because it supports libraries in their central role at the heart of local communities.
It will help them work more closely with local people to ensure they get what they really want from their library service.
Libraries are vital community spaces for people to visit freely, for books and reading and to explore a wide range of learning experiences for pleasure, fun and enlightenment.”
Community Libraries is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s broader commitment to support Community Learning with up to £120 million allocated in England to be distributed via two programmes.
In addition to Community Libraries, BIG launched a £40 million Family Learning programme on 19 September 2006 to fund practical & enjoyable activities for adults & children, bringing generations of families together through learning.
Further information:
Big Lottery Fund: The Community Libraries programme
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)
Family Learning
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