Taking the Parliament to Local Communities: the Partner Libraries Network

“The Scottish Parliament is committed to making itself accessible and participative at a community level throughout Scotland. Since 1999, the Partner Library Network has been one of the most visible means of achieving this. By providing access to the latest parliamentary news and information, these eighty public libraries play a key role in ensuring that local communities are fully informed about their MSPs, the Parliament, its business and decisions.”

As part of the Parliament’s Outreach Services Team , Partner Libraries have broadened their role to facilitate outreach and engagement opportunities. These often involve MSPs meeting with individuals and community groups. I am pleased that a number of Members hold surgeries in Partner Libraries. I would encourage all Members to make use of the Partner Library Network as a means of engaging with constituents and to help bring the Parliament to the people of Scotland.”

Rt Hon George Reid Former Presiding Officer

Working in close co-operation with the public library sector, the Scottish Parliament has established a network of 80 Partner Libraries throughout Scotland - one 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.

Partner Libraries act as focal points in local communities for information from and about the Parliament. They ensure that individuals have access to accurate, authoritative and up-to-date information about MSPs, the Parliament, it's business and decisions. The Partner Library network is the one of the most visible ways in which the Parliament delivers on its commitment to be open, accessible, accountable and participative.

By working in close liaison with the Scottish Parliament's Public Information Service and Education Service, many enquiries can be dealt with through Partner Libraries.

Information is made available through printed publications, as well as through the Internet. All Partner Libraries offer free access to the Scottish Parliament website through public Internet terminals.

Additional Partner Libraries

The Partner Library Network seeks to ensure that access to parliamentary information is as equable as possible throughout Scotland. In addition to one Partner Library in each parliamentary constituency, seven other public libraries in Scotland also have Partner Library status. The bulk of these - Portree, Dornoch, Ullapool, Oban and Oldmeldrum - are in isolated rural areas. Problems of distance, geography and rural transport mean that residents in these communities are to a large extent effectively isolated from free access to official parliamentary information. For this reason, the Parliament has established Partner Libraries in these communities to ensure that the sizeable populations there are not excluded from the benefits of the resources and services available through the Partner Library Network.