National Library of Scotland Prisons Project
August 03, 2026Posted by:
Access to books, ideas and learning matters everywhere, and it matters no less inside a prison. The Prisons Project is working to improve access to library resources across the Scottish prison estate for people in custody, their families and teaching staff. It is a partnership between the National Library of Scotland, PeoplePlus, the Scots Language Centre, the Scottish Prison Service, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Open University, Edinburgh Napier University and SLIC.
Funded by SLIC to March 2027, the project has two strands. The first is user research into how people in custody engage with library services. The second is the co-development of a pilot Scots language learning resource, led by PeoplePlus and the Scots Language Centre, which will be tested at HMP Polmont, subject to approval, before wider roll-out.
The Scots language strand is where the project really comes alive. Partners see Scots as a way for learners to connect with their own identity and build confidence, treating people not as students of the language but as contributors to a living one. It is a particularly good fit for those who have disengaged from more traditional routes into education, offering a way back in through something familiar rather than something imposed.
Alongside the pilot, teams are developing non-accredited courses in Scottish history, culture and research skills, and building new resource packs from the National Library’s own collections, including digital gallery materials and facsimiles. Routes are also being developed to keep people connected to library services after release, so the learning does not stop at the prison gate.
Milestones include a learning prototype by September 2026, pilot delivery in autumn 2026, and a national dissemination event in March 2027. The ambition is straightforward, to make learning feel like something people belong to, and to keep that connection alive well beyond the prison walls.
August 03, 2026Posted by:
