To: City of Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council
Open Letter about interlibrary loans between local Councils
We need arrangements in place for interlibrary loans between the City of Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council
Why is this important?
Having moved from City of Edinburgh Council to Midlothian Council I was surprised to find that there are no arrangements for interlibrary loans between the two Councils. Compared to the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian naturally has a smaller Council with much fewer public libraries, most of which are quite small in size and selection.
1. This puts the people in the more rural areas around Edinburgh at a considerable disadvantage, particularly those who are less mobile and find it difficult to travel, with few or no buses connections between the towns of Midlothian.
2. Public libraries are instrumental in “levelling up” and closing the attainment gap.
3. They serve a wide section of the population from families to the elderly and people with disabilities.
Would the two Councils please consider introducing interlibrary loan facilities to provide equal opportunities for the rural areas.
