Country: Scotland

Contact: Renee Mason / renee.mason@cne-siar.gov.uk

Description: Leabharlainn nan Eileen Siar (Western Isles Libraries) provides public and school library services for Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Western Isles) in Scotland. We have 4 branch libraries in Stornoway (Isle of Lewis), Tarbert (Isle of Harris), Lionaclete (Uist) and Castlebay (Barra). We also have 2 mobile libraries serving Lewis/Harris and Uist/Benbecula.

Type of library: Library service with branch libraries

Population served: Between 10.000 and 100.000

Current library programs:
  • Activities for children and young adults
  • Activities for seniors
  • Activities in cooperation with other organizations
  • Book presentations (also meeting with authors)
  • Conferences and seminars
  • Culture promotion
  • Digitalization and Preservation
  • Exhibitions
  • Handcraft workshops
  • Health Literacy (healthcare workshops…)
  • Language courses (and other activities for language learning)
  • Library services for people with special needs
  • Lifelong Learning programs
  • Literacy
  • Literary workshops
  • Local culture (local heritage)
  • Reading clubs (Book clubs)
  • Reading promotion
  • Storytelling
  • Sustainable development
  • Technology Literacy (Digital Literacy)
  • Unemployment
Activities you want to do with your sister library:
  • Cooperation with other organizations
  • Digitalization and Preservation
  • Exchange of ideas and expertise
  • Exchange of information
  • Exhibitions
  • Joint conferences and seminars
  • Joint publications
  • Literacies (non-formal education)
  • Professional visits
  • Promotion of local culture
  • Promotion of multiculturalism and multilingualism
  • Social media
  • Staff interchange
  • Staff training
  • Storytelling

Languages spoken by staff: English, Scottish Gaelic, German, Romanian

Languages spoken by patrons: English, Scottish Gaelic

Preferred countries for cooperation: We would like to work with libraries who also serve minority language communities

Searching partners for European program: No

Participating in any European Union program: No