The School Library Improvement Fund is available to state funded Nurseries, Primary Schools and Secondary Schools in Scotland.
You’ll need to have an established school library to benefit from the School Library Improvement Fund. You can apply as an individual school or collaborate with another school and apply together.
If you’re considering applying for the fund, read on! We’ve put together some ideas for creative and innovative projects that will enhance your existing school library and meet the eligibility criteria for applying.
School Library Improvement Fund
The Fund can be invested in library projects that promote anti-racism, equality, diversity and inclusion. Any project should also reflect the aims of Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools – A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018 – 2023.
There are some very useful FAQs available on the Scottish Libraries Improvement Fund website.
If you’re successful in receiving funding, this cannot be invested in setting up a new library or refurbishing an existing library. However, it can go towards a creative and innovative project within your existing school library.
Diversity wall
Visual displays, like Wall Art, are a powerful resource to promote anti-racism, equality, diversity and inclusion in your school library.
The School Library Improvement Fund could help you invest in a Diversity Wall Art project for your existing library.
This creative, visual resource can include;
- images of, or quotes from, diverse authors or those who have championed diversity in all its forms
- quotes about the importance of diversity in literature and its impact on readers from all backgrounds
- books that showcase diverse characters that young readers can relate or aspire to
Diversity timeline
Your library is also the perfect place to celebrate the evolution of diversity – and the people who have played a part in this.
Use the School Library Improvement Find to invest in a diversity timeline for your school library.
This innovative resource will also serve as a learning aid for pupils. They can see the chronology of events happened, and understand their relation to each other.
For your timeline, you can focus on literature specifically, or refer to the evolution of diversity across all fields of study. When pupils visit your school library, they’ll learn about the journey to equality and why this matters.
You can complement your Diversity timeline with access to books that discuss diversity. So pupils can read about the topic once their interest has been piqued by the Diversity Wall Art in your library.
Young readers
The School Library Improvement Fund is open to Nurseries and Primary Schools in Scotland, as well as Secondary Schools. For young readers, you can use age appropriate visual displays to reflect diversity on your library walls.
For example, characters should represent all backgrounds, ethnicities and physical abilities. This is a subtle way to communicate the power of diversity to young pupils, who may not understand the complexities of the topic.
Best of all, diverse images on your library walls will guarantee that all pupils can see people they can relate to!
Wall Art for School Libraries
At Promote Your School, we design beautiful, bespoke Wall Art for School Libraries around the world.
Our consultative service includes design, print and installation. And, because our designs are bespoke, we’ll tailor them to your preferences, goals and available space.
We are not affiliated with the School Library Improvement Fund. However, we can support schools in demonstrating how and why they can invest the fund into diverse Library Wall Art.
Contact us to find out more! You can email us at wallart@promoteyourschool.com or call +44 (0) 20 7404 3400 if you have any questions.
The closing date for applications for the School Library Improvement Fund is 20th September 2023.
