Scottish Liberal Democrats Response 2026

CILIP Scotland wrote to all main political parties in Scotland standing in the the 2026 Scottish Election on the 7th of May. On behalf of our members, we posed the same five questions about how they would support libraries and the professionals who run these vital services. We will publish any responses received.

Scottish Liberal Democrats said…

What would your party do to improve the funding support given to school and public libraries in Scotland via local authorities?

Libraries are at the heart of many communities across Scotland. From toddlers enjoying Bookbugs right through to memories groups for people living with dementia, they can cater for every age and stage. Libraries can have a role in tackling many of the challenges we face as a country, improving literacy, closing the poverty-related attainment gap, boosting digital access and countering social isolation.

However, almost two decades of SNP centralisation has drained local communities of the ability to shape their own future. Councils have been seriously squeezed and every library has felt the impact in some shape or form. It’s why the Scottish Liberal Democrats have long made the case for better funding of local government. It’s time to treat it as an equal partner and back it with multi-year funding deals so that councils can innovate and sustain high-quality services including libraries.

How would you ensure our public library network is best placed to support key outcomes such as improving literacy and health/wellbeing and reducing inequality, child poverty and social isolation? Would you support a new National Strategy for public libraries?

Strategies can help provide direction and bring together best practice, but the SNP Government has a long record of publishing them only to let them gather dust on the shelf. In comparison, Scottish Liberal Democrats are all about getting things done, It means shifting power out of Holyrood and giving people real control and the resources to shape where they live, rather than waiting for the say-so of ministers in Edinburgh.

Orkney Library is a brilliant example of how services embed themselves in their communities. It has tens of thousands of followers on social media and everyone in the islands values it and knows how much it offers. It is a local hub and a brilliant example of how libraries can innovate and bring about footfall.

How would you provide greater protection for our under-pressure school library sector to ensure they can improve reading for enjoyment levels as well as literacy, critical thinking and attainment? Would you support a refreshed national strategy for school libraries?

School libraries in particular have a big role to play to promoting reading for pleasure, improving literacy and supporting critical thinking and attainment amongst children. The government’s failure to close the poverty-related attainment gap is a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge of overcoming inequality. It’s why we want to build on this role by establishing a new nationwide digital library for schools to improve children’s access to ebooks and audiobooks, building on work which has been carried out in Fife.

How do you plan to tackle the rising challenge of misinformation? Do librarians have a role to play in this?

Finally, tackling rising misinformation is a challenge for the whole of society. Politicians certainly have a responsibility to uphold truthfulness in public debate and address the failings of the social media giants, given that’s where so many people now get their news. The Liberal Democrats will always champion those who provide accurate and impartial information, from our world-class public broadcasters to trusted grassroots initiatives such as those which libraries are involved in. There is also a role for the education system to give young people and others the tools they need to recognise misinformation and engage critically with sources, including understanding how generative artificial intelligence is being used to create unreliable or malicious content. Librarians are well-placed to support this work both in schools and more broadly, providing advice and education on how to access reliable sources of information.