Hi Janice,

Thanks for your message. Scottish Local History Week and Month aren't promoted by LocScot any more. The interest in these trailed off a little bit and as long as I have sat on the committee it hasn't really been a focus. I'd be happy to run it by the committee and give it another go though, we could set a rough date and theme perhaps.

I work in South Lanarkshire Libraries and it was still something that we observed and ran events for up until and during the pandemic when we focused on digital content. It was decided by the reference team here that it was a bit much, we all had increasing workloads and no funding etc. The other issue that I had with it was that it was almost too many events to advertise correctly at the one time and give them the attention they needed. However, twist ending, what we replaced it with is something that we call BygoneCon. 

For BygoneCon we invite lots of local and family history groups, special interest groups and so forth to the library and have a big open day. For us, some of our libraries have quite a lot of tables and floorspace, so we are able to host between 10-20 groups (sometimes we need to be creative) and these have been very popular. Currently we are averaging about two per year and changing location around the four main libraries in my authority. We have ran them in Rutherglen, East Kilbride, Lanark and Hamilton is due to be next. These have been really well attended and it's been great to meet and get to know the groups that attend, North Lanarkshire colleagues have attended too and many of the groups themselves feel that the networking that happens on the day is worthwhile.

For our authority this has the advantage or being able to work as a small team and share the workload, less advertising, more focused and generally one day of big footfall in the branch. Contrasted with each of the four branches in my authority putting on four or five events for a month or week. I would recommend that type of event to anybody.

I'd be really keen to hear if other areas still do though. I'd say a week is far more manageable than a month though. 

Thanks

Scott