> CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
> 7 Ridgmount St, London WC1E 7AE.
> 
> Tel: 020 7255 0500  Textphone: 020 7255 0505  Fax: 020 7255 0501  E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> 
> News from CILIP
> Monday 23 February 2004
> For immediate release (Please copy to online discussion lists)
> CREATIVE PROJECTS SHOW LIBRARIES REACHING OUT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
> Shortlist for the 2004 CILIP / LiS Libraries Change Lives Award announced
> An innovative on-line creative writing project for young teens, a mobile library for travellers and their families,  and a moving website and CD-ROM  about local people> '> s experiences of the Holocaust and other genocides, are in the running for the coveted 2004 CILIP/LiS Libraries Change Lives Award. The winner of the award will be announced by the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion on 21 April 2004 at the Library + information Show, ExCeL, London.
> The three shortlisted library projects are:
> · Get a Life! - Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives
> · Holocaust Remembrance Community Portal Project - East Renfrewshire Libraries
> · The Mobile Library Travellers Project - Essex County Council Libraries
> Nigel Thomas from Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service is Chair of the judges. He comments, " We saw a particularly good variety of projects this year. The final decision on which to shortlist was a tough one to make, as all the entries reflected the innovative ideas that library and information services are bringing to their respective communities.> "> 
> "> This diversity of projects has been reflected in our final selection> ">  he continues, > "> Dumfries and Galloway libraries> '>  Get a Life showed an imaginative way of engaging with young people in using technology to develop reading and writing skills, and also tackle the sensitive topic of chatroom use. Essex Libraries have put forward an excellent example of good practice in reaching out to travelling communities through their mobile library service. East Renfrewshire are showing how community work can result in the creation of first rate learning materials on the web and CD-ROM with their work with holocaust survivors.> "> 
> This is the twelfth year of the Award that recognises innovative and exciting work in the fields of social inclusion, education and life-long learning in libraries and their communities. The winning project will receive a trophy and £4,000 prize money. The two runners-up will both receive a cheque for £1,000. 
> The award is sponsored by the Library + information Show. It is organised and administered by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and its Community Service Group.
> 
> Contact:      Philippa Perry at Philippa Perry Associates 
>               Tel: 020 7233 9911 Email: [log in to unmask] 
> 
>               Louisa Myatt at CILIP
>               Tel: 0207 255 0650 Email: [log in to unmask] 
> 
> Notes to Editors:
> For case studies or to speak to any of the people involved in the projects, please contact: Philippa Perry (details above)
> 
> 1. Details of the shortlisted projects
> 
> Get a Life! - Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives
> Contact: Janice Goldie, Cultural Services Manager 
> Tel: 01387 253820 Email: libs&[log in to unmask] 
> The Get a Life project is an interactive online narrative in which young people get to create their own characters, meet other characters and make up their own stories. This innovative project has been developed by Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives in partnership with the dramatist in residence from a local Arts Association.
> Young people aged between 10 and 14 take part in creating a story live online, interacting with other characters and building a new world through the story. 
> Get a Life channels young people> '> s natural desire to > '> chat> '> , explores creative writing in an online environment and adds a fun dimension to gaining an understanding of character, story, plot and theme within fiction. The project also forms part of the libraries> '>  Be Websmart campaign, which promotes safe and responsible use of the internet.
> The need for a project such as Get a Life grew from a region wide community consultation. One of the gaps and challenges identified by the consultation was for an increased range of activities aimed at the upper primary and lower secondary age range which would make more use of computers but still be related to books, reading and writing.
> The project has proved a success with 89% of children taking part feeling that it helped to build their confidence in their writing ability; 93% saying that the project had enhanced their ICT skills; 97% saying that their understanding of the internet and chat rooms had improved and 96% felt they had established new friendships through the project. In 2003 Dumfries and Galloway Libraries saw an 11% increase in active usage among the 10-14 age-range over figures from 2002.
> 
> Holocaust Remembrance Community Portal Project - East Renfrewshire Libraries
> Contact: Liz McGettigan, Libraries and Information Services Manager 
> Tel: 0141 577 3503 Email: [log in to unmask]
> East Renfrewshire, just outside Glasgow, is home to the largest Jewish population in Scotland. As part of their commitment to ethnic diversity in the local community, East Renfrewshire Libraries have created a website and CDROM for holocaust remembrance that allows local survivors to tell their story. The website address is: www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/holocaust 
> The project aimed to include the Jewish community and educate other residents about the Nazi Holocaust and other genocides. The website features extremely moving personal accounts which affect all who see them. The contributors are in their eighties, and have enabled the portrayal of living history through their testimonies, video interviews, precious personal artefacts and transcripts of their often horrific experiences. Those interviewed found healing through talking about their experiences, and the project has been welcomed by them and the wider Jewish community throughout the world.
> Personal testimonies include the story of Ernest Levy who was born in Bratislava in 1925. Following the German invasion of Hungary his family were deported to concentration camps where many of them died. He was in seven concentration camps in all and saw people stripped of their dignity and humanity and treated like animals. 
> The Holocaust Remembrance project is part of East Renfrewshire> '> s Community Portal Approach which aims to promote ICT as a way of enhancing opportunity and quality of life, to improve access to citizens> '>  information, provide education and learning opportunities and to support a sense of place in communities. The website and CDROM are aimed at the whole community and have been used as an educational tool in libraries and schools across Scotland.
> 
> The Mobile Library Travellers Project - Essex County Council Libraries
> Contact: Nicola Baker, Localities Manager 
> Tel: 01206 245900 Email: [log in to unmask]
> The Mobile Library Travellers project was set up in 2001 to explore ways in which Essex Libraries could provide a library service to a group of potential customers at risk of social exclusion. They now work on five travellers sites in Essex and with eight primary schools that have a high percentage of traveller children on their roll. The project is primarily a partnership between Essex County Council and Essex Travellers Education Service. It is supported by a range of other partners. 
> A total of eight mobile libraries provide weekly stops to the sites and primary schools involved. The work is co-ordinated by a project managers funded by the Children> '> s Fund Essex. She works with the various partners to enthuse and encourage children and families, many of whom have never had access to reading material.> 
> Each week a regular core of children and adults come voluntarily to the mobile library. The libraries provide both specialist and mainstream stock, with an emphasis on children> '> s books. Older travellers in particular enjoy looking at well-illustrated Traveller heritage books and reminiscing over and discussing the photographs. The encouragement of reading remains at the heart of this work. 
> Sarah Harbour and her daughter Lily Rose from Wood Corner Traveller site in Maldon are regular visitors to the library. Sarah says, > "> I think that the bus is really good for the children. Lily Rose really enjoys stories and it helps her learn. Everyone says how forward she is and I think that> '> s because of the reading. It> '> s helped her talking. Because of the bus, I have read to her since she was born, she loves the touch and feel of books. We now go to the library at Maldon as well because we> '> ve used most of the books here!> "> 
> 
> 2. CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers, with around 22,000 members working in all sectors, including business and industry, science and technology, further and higher education, schools, local and central government, the health service, the voluntary sector, national and public libraries.  For further information, visit www.cilip.org.uk 
> 
> 3. The Library + information Show (LiS) takes place at ExCel in London on 21st and 22nd April. For information on the exhibition or about visiting, contact Mina Booth on 020 8870 6730 or 07803 295292, email: [log in to unmask] or visit the website on www.lishow.co.uk 
> LiS is organised by Resources Exhibitions, which was formed 19 years ago and has successfully organised and promoted 76 exhibitions in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, Uganda and Australia. For more information, visit www.resourcex.co.uk 
> 
> 4 . The judges for the 2004 Libraries Change Lives Award are: Nigel Thomas (Chair) from Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service, Terry Turner, Chief Executive of Eastern England Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, Carole Wolstenholme from Lancashire Libraries and Gos Home, Chairman of the Library and information Show.
> 
> -Ends-
>