LIFELONG LEARNING

Public libraries are places for educational and lifelong learning.

Reading is one of life’s great pleasures. Not much comes near the feeling of being engrossed in the pages of a book, growing to love and loathe the characters and becoming familiar with fictional worlds. Often, the difference between fiction and reality is wafer thin.

For some, reading for pleasure involves non-fiction to learn about people, places and subjects, whether it’s sport, hobbies, history, travel, science or study and business-related material.

There is a unique and idiosyncratic joy that comes from reaching the closing chapter and pages of a great book – and sometimes a momentary sadness that our journey into the world of imagination and learning created by the book’s author has come to an end.

Reading for pleasure is one of our nation’s favourite pastimes, but it also has a very important role to play in educational development and the health and wellbeing of individuals and society.

There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the positive impact of reading for pleasure on literacy and attainment, as well as on our emotional wellbeing. Reading also manifests itself by allowing people to experience other cultures and faiths and to develop an understanding, empathy and appreciation of different beliefs and values.

It should go without saying, but literacy is a fundamental and lifelong skill. The nation always needs a population that is ably literate and educated. The ability to read improves chances of employment and leads to better health and higher levels of wellbeing. It also helps people to comprehend and ask questions that otherwise would be missing.

But, for reading to become a lifelong habit, it must be encouraged from a young age and promoted as an enjoyable activity.

Libraries, of course, are not alone in promoting literacy, but they do have a distinct role as a local space where people of all ages and backgrounds can come to explore, learn and discover.

In Scotland, the Scottish Government is currently developing a cultural strategy, with core themes emerging around access, equality and excellence. The library sector will have a significant contribution to make to this discussion for the role libraries play in supporting lifelong learning, skills and appreciation of culture. Libraries across Scotland promote a range of reading displays – with often new books on offer – and the importance of reading for pleasure is recognised at a national level too.

Libraries are also running the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland. Coordinated by The Reading Agency, the initiative encourages children aged 4-11 to read at least six books over the summer holiday period. Book Week Scotland, an annual celebration of books and reading for readers of all ages, encourages adults and children alike to enjoy the pleasure of reading through library, school, community and workplace events.

In 2016, more than 17 million books were loaned from Scotland’s public libraries, more than six million of these borrowed by children.

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