Libraries Win £80 Million

The Big Lottery Fund recently announced that £80 million of money raised by the UK National Lottery will be given to libraries via a Community Libraries programme. The programme exists to help improve library buildings in England so that they can offer a wider range of services and facilities to the general public.

Libraries will be able to apply for grants from £250,000 to £2 million in order to fund projects lasting up to three years. Support will be given to those bids where the local communities themselves take an active part in developing, delivering and managing the projects outlined.

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, 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."

Unsurprisingly, John Dolan, who is Head of Library Policy at the Museums, Libraries and Archives council, was equally enthusiastic about the new programme. "We welcome this programme because it supports libraries in their central role at the heart of local communities," he said.

"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."

Article Last Updated: 02/08/2007