A project providing free to access equipment for repairing, reusing and upcycling items will launch in libraries across Scotland this month.
Nine libraries have been chosen to host a Lend and Mend Hub as part of a pilot managed the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC).
It is hoped the hubs, funded by the John Lewis Circular Future Fund, will help tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
Among the facilities involved in the pilot are Aberdeen Central Library and Orkney Library & Archive which will both open in the coming weeks.
Culture minister Christina McKelvie said: “Our libraries are at the heart of our communities and the first of the pilot ‘Lend and Mend Hubs’ will further enhance the services they provide locally.
“Giving people free access to repair or recycle everyday items reflects the Scottish Government’s commitment to sustainability and will be an invaluable resource in the current cost of living crisis.”
Hubs across the country
The hubs have been developed with insight and expertise from teams and library members to ensure services are tailored to community needs.
Once launched, an education programme will be introduced with accessible resources to help reduce inequality.
The network of hubs across Scotland include:
- A K Bell Library, Perth
- Aberdeen Central Library, Aberdeen
- Forfar Library, Angus
- Girvan Library, South Ayrshire
- Gorebridge Library, Midlothian
- Kilbirnie Library, North Ayrshire
- Orkney Library & Archive, Orkney
- South West Library, Inverclyde
- Wester Hailes Library, Edinburgh
Developing a long-term model
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive of SLIC, added: “It’s great to see our ‘Lend and Mend Hubs’ take shape in what is an exciting chapter for our libraries.
“Building on their current offering, our services are transforming and thriving in line with community needs, giving people access to resources they might not otherwise have to support responsible consumption and learning, locally and free.
“And at a time when all of Scotland’s communities are experiencing economic and environmental challenges, the role of public libraries has never been more important.
“The introduction of this network has the potential to create a real impact. Receiving over 40 million visits every year, the Scottish public are familiar with borrowing from libraries, but don’t always have the opportunity to extend this circular thinking to other aspects of their lives, for example how they use household goods and clothing.
“We hope this pilot will help develop a long-term model for libraries to be a hub of circular economy activities, while also providing valuable learnings to promote the urgent need to adopt a more circular way of living more widely for the long-term benefit of us all.”
