Funding to re-open four Glasgow libraries should not be ‘sticking plaster’

It has also confirmed opening hours will return to pre-Covid levels in all reopened libraries by January 31.

But council leader Susan Aitken has said Maryhill and Whiteinch libraries both “still need substantial capital investment”.

Glasgow Life, which manages the city’s culture and leisure facilities for the council, has been awarded almost £450,000 by the Scottish Government to reopen the five closed libraries.

Libraries at the Couper Institute, Maryhill, Whiteinch and the Gallery of Modern Art will be open by the end of January, the arms-length organisation has said.

The building where Barmulloch Library is based is being used as a vaccination centre until January 31. If it is required for vaccines after that date, Glasgow Life has said it will make the adaptations required to reopen the library.

Shettleston Library has been undergoing maintenance works but will reopen in early December and Elder Park and Woodside libraries, which are being refurbished, will open in 2022.

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “We have always understood how important libraries are in their communities — and that is reflected in the financial guarantee the council extended to Glasgow Life to ensure more of these valued venues were able to open sooner, after being closed by the pandemic.

“The council committed to explore any possible option to make sure every library is able to reopen — and the city made a strong case for this very welcome additional funding, which will make that possible.

“We need to be clear that Maryhill and Whiteinch libraries both still need substantial capital investment for the future; but I am looking forward to all of Glasgow’s libraries welcoming people back through their doors.”

Glasgow Life also said the historic building at the Couper would require substantial work in the future.

All venues closed in March 2020 when the pandemic hit and a £100m guarantee allowed 90 facilities to reopen, although many more remain closed.

Responding to the funding announcement, Greens councillor Jon Molyneux said: “This is first and foremost fantastic news for all local campaigners who’ve been absolutely resolute on this.

“Having joined them at weekly read-ins for over a year, I’m delighted that all of our public libraries will soon be open. It should never have taken this long and there’s something seriously wrong when statutory services need either commercial income or charitable grants to simply open their doors.

“Public library services are vital for people’s well-being, so we need to fund them sustainably and make them more accountable to the communities who’ve campaigned so passionately for them.”

Conservative councillor Robert Connelly said the announcement was “long overdue” and praised campaigners who have worked “tirelessly” to save these venues.

“However, this cannot be a sticking plaster. Our libraries play a vital role in our communities and these facilities have been shut for too long.

“This funding will help in the short-term but libraries need a long-term plan to secure their future ahead of next year’s council elections.

“The Scottish Conservatives would enshrine a fair funding deal for councils in law. That would help to protect local services like our libraries which have been damaged by continued SNP cuts to local authority budgets year on year.”

And the city’s Labour group said the funding “should be welcomed” but “falls far short of what is required to fully reopen our libraries”.

“We need a full funding package that secures the future of these libraries for years to come, not a sticking plaster solution.”