To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support libraries within local communities. (S6O-05028)

The Scottish Government’s targeted support for public libraries is made through our annual funding—which totals £935,000—to the Scottish Library and Information Council. It includes the public library improvement fund, which supports creative and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland. The successful PLIF projects for 2025-26 are due to be announced soon.

Through the school library improvement fund, we also provide targeted support—amounting to £150,000—to school libraries, in recognition of their important role in education. More generally, public library policy is devolved to local authorities, which means that our general revenue funding to councils also supports libraries across the country.

Coatbridge library and Chryston library are among the key community hubs in my Constituency, and they now include digital zones, study spaces and community programmes. The third place idea is increasingly recognised by the Scottish Government through strategies on community wellbeing, place-based regeneration and digital inclusion. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to encourage the use of libraries such as the ones in Coatbridge and Chryston as community wellbeing hubs and social spaces for isolated or vulnerable groups?

I commend Mr MacGregor for his question. He is absolutely right: the Scottish Government recognises the vital role that libraries play as so-called third places—that is, welcoming, inclusive spaces that support wellbeing, digital inclusion and community connection. That is why we fund SLIC’s public library improvement fund, which supports projects that blend culture, health, social impact and other factors. One such example is the return journeys programme to help underreached groups to reconnect with libraries, which I had the pleasure of seeing at first hand in Falkirk last year. It is a powerful example of how libraries in Scottish communities, such as the ones in Coatbridge and Chryston, are evolving into trusted wellbeing hubs.

Libraries have been proven to boost literacy, particularly among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. At least 16 per cent of public libraries in Scotland have closed since 2008, while a quarter of pupils entering secondary school struggle to read, write and count properly. Does the Cabinet secretary accept that closing libraries cannot be improving children’s literacy outcomes?

For the obvious reason that Mr Stewart set out, I am keen to support any place that helps with literacy and learning, but we must be open-minded with regard to new ways in which libraries can provide services to people young and old. I mentioned the potential role that libraries can play as so-called third places, to which people can go to support wellbeing endeavours and learn about digital inclusion and wider community connection, and I encourage Mr Stewart, his party and others across the Parliament to do what they can to help local authorities—which have the responsibility for the libraries in their areas—to adopt such an approach. I am sure that that will maximise the retention of the library network across Scotland, which is a goal that I support.

Access to libraries is hugely important for people of all ages, but it is of particular importance for our children and young people. Last week, The Herald reported that around one in 10 of Scotland’s libraries have closed in the past decade on the Scottish National Party Government’s watch. Many school libraries have also been cut as a result of the underfunding of our local councils.

The United Kingdom Labour Government recently pledged to ensure that every primary school in England will have a library. How can we improve literacy in Scotland when our libraries and our school libraries continue to be closed? What assessment has the Government undertaken of access to libraries for our children and young people?

I gently say to Mr Bibby that, in my initial answer, I gave quite a lot of detail on the level of support—both direct and indirect—that the Scottish Government provides to libraries. He will, of course, know that library provision is devolved to local government. If he is keen on financial support for libraries, he would have a little bit more credibility on the subject if, rather than abstaining in the budget vote or voting against it, as the Tories did, he had voted for the increases that have been provided to support libraries.