Apologies for cross posting
-----------------------------
DCMS 264/99 19 October 1999
ALAN HOWARTH GIVES DETAILS OF NEW #3 MILLION PUBLIC LIBRARY
FUND TO BOOST READING
A new #3 million challenge fund, joint-funded by the Wolfson
Foundation and the Culture Department, will be available from next
year for programmes which enable public libraries to promote the
enjoyment of reading and help build up and promote history book
collections.
This is a new direction for the DCMS\Wolfson Fund which, in the past,
has focused primarily on developing ICT, refurbishing buildings and
enhancing reference collections. New funding streams from the
National Lottery designed to support the development of ICT in
libraries and other learning centres mean that the fund can now be
redirected.
Speaking at the Public Library Authorities conference in Torquay
today, Arts Minister Alan Howarth said:
"The DCMS/Wolfson challenge fund has been a huge success since it
began in 1997. It has funded 69 pathfinder projects to develop ICT
services linking libraries to the National Grid for Learning.
"We think it is now time for the fund to re-emphasise the importance
of libraries' traditional services - helping to draw in new users and
build on the success of the National Year of Reading and the work
that is continuing through the Read On campaign. Helping people to
the habit of reading and experience the pleasure of reading a good
book is, of course, at the heart of what libraries are there to do."
The fund for 2000-2001 will be in two parts. The programme for
reader development will be backed by #2m from the Culture Department
while the Wolfson foundation are providing #1m to support projects
providing books and materials relating to history from the 18th
century to the present day.
Alan Howarth continued:
"The Wolfson Foundation's splendid support enables us to celebrate
the new millennium not just by looking to the future, but by
enhancing libraries' ability to contribute to the nation's
understanding and appreciation of its past."
Notes to Editors
1. The DCMS/Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge Fund was established
in 1997 to provide #3 million a year for three years for projects to
enhance library services in England.
2. The scheme initially focussed on projects in three areas:
developing IT, refurbishing library buildings and enhancing reference
collections. Since 1998, however, it has concentrated in particular
on funding IT infrastructure projects in England which support the
development of a Public Library IT Network in line with the
Government's response to the Library and Information Commission (LIC)
report "New Library: the People's Network."
3. Since the commencement of the Fund the Government has committed
substantial additional funds to support the development of a Public
Library ICT Network. The 1998-99 budget allocated #200 million of
National Lottery funding to a programme of Community Access to
Lifelong Learning; #20 million for a training programme for all
public library staff to develop ICT skills and #50 million for the
digitisation of materials to support learning. Libraries will also
be eligible for a share of the #470 million Capital Modernisation
Fund programme to develop ICT learning centres.
4. In 2000-2001, of the #3 million the DCMS/Wolfson Challenge Fund
makes available, #2 million will be allocated to the reader
development programme to provide support towards the sort of library
projects and activities which have been successful in attracting
National Year of Reading Funding [from the Department for Education
and Employment]. #1 million of the Fund has been made available to
create and enhance history collections in public libraries and to
interpret them, in particular, for young people.
5. We expect to provide more detailed information and to invite
applications to the 2000-2001 Challenge Fund before the end of 1999.
Key Facts about the Public Library Service:
58 per cent of the adult population hold library membership -
that's nearly 34 million library tickets. There were 377 million
visits made to libraries in 95/96, more than ten times the number who
attended league football matches in the same period.
10 million people, drawn from all ages and social groups - use
their public library regularly - at least once a fortnight.
There are 4,759 libraries in the UK (including 693 mobile
libraries), plus 19,136 service points in hospitals, prisons, old
people's homes etc.
There are 129,612,000 books in the public library service,
occupying 3,600 km of shelving, 2.5 times the distance from Land's
End to John o'Groats.
Visiting the library is the FIFTH most popular pastime in the UK!
The first four are -
1. visiting a pub,
2. eating in a restaurant,
3. driving for pleasure and
4. eating in a fast-food restaurant.
Internet : http://www.culture.gov.uk
****************************
Stuart Brewer
Pat Wressell Associates
36 Highbury
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 3EA
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 191 281 3502
Fax: +44 (0) 191 212 0146
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
****************************
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|