Speaker - Heather Korabiowska 'Fife Cultural Trust'

When conceiving and funding the first-ever public library, sited in his home town of Dunfermline, Andrew Carnegie stated his conviction that the provision of libraries “out-ranked any other public service”.The “Father of Libraries” went on to support the construction of libraries all over the UK.

These days, 35 libraries in Fife come under the aegis of the Fife Cultural Trust, which also supports and administers, the arts, archives, museums, cultural events and 4 of the Kingdom’s theatres.

Representing the Trust, which acts on behalf of Fife Council, Heather Korabiowska addressed members and explained how the Trust had mushroomed since its inception in 2012.

The most recent figures, for 2016/2017, showed that Fife libraries had loaned out almost 1,500,000 books and recorded 264,000 museum visits.

All this in addition to the ongoing services provided for schools, mobile libraries and home book deliveries for those unable to visit libraries.

The Trust also began a programme of reading groups across Fife. They run 35 such groups and also support 82 private reading groups, allowing them all access to some 200 titles each month.

Heather’s organisation has begun a new project, known as “Reading For Health”, which health professionals regard as an excellent method of helping to reduce stress, encourage relaxation and improve general wellbeing. It includes “Walk On”, in which people take part in short walks, followed by meetings to chat and discuss books and share reading experiences. Many doctors and health visitors have urged their patients to join and more than 1000 did so last year.

Heather also described many of the Trust’s other services which can offer “meet the author” events, the annual Book Week Scotland in November, and a large number of digital services with which customers can access e-books, catalogues and even investigations of family and local history.

Proposing a vote of thanks, Irene Walker said the members had indeed been enlightened by Heather’s very passionate and humorous talk and had discovered many services of which they had been unaware.