The money that the library has been awarded by Arts Council England, what is it being used for?
Answer
The money that Nottingham City Libraries successfully bid for was from funds provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), in a new initiative called ‘The Libraries Improvement Fund’ (LIF). The fund is administered and managed by Arts Council England (ACE) who, from applications across the UK, selected the library projects to receive funding.
In July 2021 money was applied for from the LIF in a bid that explained every part of the project; that it was to be spent on work at Hyson Green Library, what the money would be used for, how long it would take, how it would benefit the community. In February 2022 the library service was told that it had been successful for this project. The ACE Terms and Conditions mean that the money can only be used for this bid and cannot be used for other libraries or other projects. These funds are not added to the normal library budget, they are kept separately to make sure they are not spent on anything other than what has been agreed. *
The project 'One Hyson: Growing Together' will:
- Revitalise and make sustainable the garden shared by the library and Acorn Resource Centre day services, turning it in to a little oasis and a space to use for activities and events.
- Improve the library layout and signage both outside and inside
- Improve the collection of books in other languages, making it larger and more diverse
- Provide an interactive sensory projector system that is well known to benefit users with Alzheimer’s, dementia, mental health issues and other sensory needs
- Create new activities when the work is completed in 2023.
The library service (part of Nottingham City Council) is working in partnership with Acorn Resource Centre, the Community Health Partnership, The Mary Potter Health Centre, and Nottingham City Council departments outside of libraries. There will also be collaboration, with local organisations such as GreenSpace, with the users of the library service and Mary Potter Centre, and the community.
* This is normal practice for money obtained from funding organisations and applies to any applications Nottingham City Libraries have made for other projects.
You can find out more information about the Libraries Improvement Fund: www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/libraries