Parliamentary News Release

047/2003

Friday 27 June, 2003

GLASGOW WOMEN’S LIBRARY JOINS THE PARLIAMENT‘S LIBRARY NETWORK

Glasgow Women's Library is to be launched as the Parliament’s first ‘Linked Library’. This means it will be associated with the other 80 libraries currently in the Scottish Parliament’s Partner Library Network.

Elaine Smith MSP is launching the Library as a linked library on Saturday 28 June in Glasgow at 2pm. The idea to link the Library was developed by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Outreach team in response to a report by Elaine Smith for the Equal Opportunities Committee in March 2003.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Elaine Smith said:

“By linking to the Partner Library Network, the Glasgow Women’s Library will be able to offer their users full access to parliamentary information. The Parliament will also offer short courses in the library about the Scottish Parliament to help women to find out more about how they can participate and engage with the Parliament. One of the first courses in the session will include a focus on gender issues.”

Background

(Copies of the report on the Linked Library project are available from the Scottish Parliament’s website: – /S1/official_report/cttee/equal-03/ed03-response-spcb.htm)

Glasgow Women’s Library is the first Linked Library that the Parliament has established under this new initiative to expand access to its information sources. Linked Libraries are libraries that are designed to serve a particular community and are associated to the Partner Library Network. Glasgow Women’s Library has served the women of Glasgow and beyond for over 10 years.

There is a Partner Library in each parliamentary constituency, plus an additional seven, mostly in the Highlands and Islands, to reflect the unique geographic and transport problems faced by constituents in rural areas.

Linked Libraries receive the following services:

• enquiry support from the Library Liaison Officer
  
• staff training and development in conjunction with Partner Library(ies)
  
• educational and information materials including a full set of Factfiles and What’s Happening In the Scottish Parliament publication
  
• monthly updates
  
• relevant SPICe research briefings
  
• support from across the Parliament for events relating to the Parliament

Media Opportunity and Photocall

Elaine Smith will be available for interviews and photos at the library. Press photographers, reporters and TV cameras are invited to attend.

Photos will be available from the Parliament Media Office on Monday 30 June.

For further information the media contact is:

Sally Coyne: 0131 348 6269
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000

For general enquiries, contact: 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk