Grant of £50,000 for the Leighton Library in Dunblane

That the Parliament welcomes the news that the Leighton Library, Scotland’s oldest purpose-built independent library, built in 1687, has been awarded a £50,000 grant; understands that The Wolfson Foundation has provided the funding towards the cost of redevelopment of Undercroft into a new exhibition space at the Dunblane library; notes reports that, according to a spokesperson for the library’s trustees, the redevelopment of the Undercroft is phase three of the Library’s ongoing Restoration Project; further notes that this redevelopment will be the creation of a new visitor facility, engagement space and exhibition area; understands that as the library room was established on the upper floor, visitors must currently climb an original external forestair for entry and consequently the library is not accessible to those with limited mobility; believes that this redevelopment of the Undercroft will be fully accessible at ground level, enabling anyone to engage with the collection; understands that the proposed works will include re-instatement of the second street doorway as the principal entrance to enable level access, creation of a new exhibition space with software-driven interpretation panels and display cases, temporary exhibitions to be held each year alongside the permanent interpretation in the Undercroft, with a second temporary exhibit in the library room, screen and seating for presentations, video and camera link to the library above, a welcome desk with information about the library and the local area, and disabled access featuring level access and hearing loop; further understands that The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on research and education with an aim is to support civil society by investing in excellent projects in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts; recognises that since the foundation was established in 1955, £1 billion, £2 billion in real terms, has been awarded to more than 14,000 projects throughout the UK, all on the basis of expert review; acknowledges with gratitude this latest grant from The Wolfson Foundation in addition to the following donors, foundations, trusts and individuals, who have generously contributed towards the redevelopment of the Undercroft, including Buccleuch Charitable Trust, Dunblane Windfarm Community Fund, Hugh Fraser Foundation, JTH Charitable Trust, Robert Barr Charitable Trust, Sabina Sutherland Charitable Trust, and commends everyone involved in what it sees as this fantastic, ongoing and immensely involving restoration project.