<p>**Apologies for cross-posting**</p>
<p> In the midst of recent media doom and gloom concerning libraries, there has been some more positive coverage here in Scotland.</p>
<p>Following its public launch by Neil Oliver, the national virtual reference service, <a href="http://www.askscotland.org.uk/" target="_blank">Ask Scotland</a>, has found its way onto the national news agenda, and the number of questions received has soared.</p>
<p>On Wed 25 Aug, an article on Ask Scotland appeared in the <a href="http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/195359/Now-libraries-put-knowledge-online/" target="_blank">Express</a> and the <a href="http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/TV-personality-filming-in-Western.6491278.jp" target="_blank">Stornoway Gazette</a>, as well as the Evening Times and the Paisley Daily Express (print). The service was also mentioned in a number of library blogs.</p>
<p>This week saw yet another national push for the service when Gillian Hanlon of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) appeared on Monday’s BBC Radio Scotland show, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tkqzy" target="_blank">MacAulay & Co</a>, which is hosted by comedian Fred MacAulay.</p>
<p>During the show, MacAulay put the live chat service to the test, asking first about the population of Scotland and then about the oldest tree in the country. These questions were successfully picked up and the answers were announced on air.</p>
<p>On Tuesday morning Rhona Arthur, Assistant Director of SLIC and CILIP in Scotland, appeared on Kaye Adams’ phone-in show, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tkrgg" target="_blank">Call Kaye</a>, to contribute to a debate on the future of libraries.</p>
<p>Rhona stressed that libraries are regularly used by 60% of the Scottish people, with visits reaching 28.5 million in the last year – that’s almost 7 times the number attending all Scottish league football games last season!</p>
<p>Callers to the programme voiced an over-whelming support for libraries and discussed the ways in which libraries are important in their lives.</p>
<p>Both shows will appear on the BBC iPlayer for a period of one week after going on air. </p>
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