Girvan among five libraries piloting new 'Lend and Mend Hubs' in Scotland
The 'Lend and Mend Hubs' will allow locals to borrow everyday items and resources from libraries.
Five public libraries in Scotland have been selected as the first to trial a new scheme which will allow people to borrow everyday resources the same way they’d borrow books.
Girvan Library in South Ayrshire is one of the five places that will launch the new ‘lend and mend hubs’ in an effort to help people during the cost-of-living crisis, and ease consumption for communities.
libraries in Aberdeen, Inverclyde, Midlothian, and Perth have also been selected as part of the pilot project managed by the Scottish Library and Information council (SLIC).
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive of SLIC, has been telling West FM about the new project.
She said: “Receiving over 40 million visits every year, the Scottish public are familiar with borrowing from libraries but don’t always have the opportunity to extend this circular thinking to other aspects of their lives, for example how they use household goods and clothing.
“Libraries have always been there to help people in times of austerity, and never more so than now.
“It’s making much more efficient use of stretched fund, but also enabling people to access resources at no cost, which in this cost-of-living crisis is a great bonus.
“What we are looking for, is for people who are well used to borrowing books from libraries, to borrow other things they might need to use in an effort to ease consumption.
“So, for example, it could be gardening tools, It could be DIY tools, or kitchen utensils that people might only ever use once in a blue moon.
“You might like to try before you buy, or if you are only going to use the service occasionally, its easier to have access to items rather than purchasing them.
“But we would be looking for the community of Girvan to help shape the range of items that will be available.”
The new ‘Lend and Mend Hubs’ are funded by The John Lewis Partnership’s £1m Circular Future Fund,
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Bosses say they hope it will help communities to repair, reuse, rent and upcycle everyday items, with free access for everyone to keep items in use for longer, rather than them being thrown away.
All the libraries were carefully selected based on the communities with a diverse reach and that have already been working to help locals.
Ms Tulloch added: “To see this level of investment going into Girvan Library, it’s a real boost the community.
“The Girvan Library being selected for this new ‘lend and mend’ scheme, was really just building on some of the great groundwork by the community that’s already taken place. So, it many ways a perfect storm of like minds coming together.
“It’s easing consumption, and helping people support their communities to become more sustainable.”
The project is set to be launched in January 2023.