Pittenweem Community Library & Information Centre

​Pittenweem Community Library and Information Centre is now open. The new library offers books and DVDs for loan, public access computers and a range of local and tourist information. A printer, scanner and shredder are available for use for a small charge. 

Our Opening Hours:
Monday:       2:00pm - 6:00pm
Wednesday: 1:30pm - 5pm
Friday:           9:30am - 1:00pm
Saturday:    10:00am - 1:00pm

We are registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) ​Charity reg number SC047013


What can you do to help?
1) Join the library and enjoy our services - just pop along during opening hours

2) Send us your ideas: We've already analysed the results of our community survey, but would love to hear more ideas and suggestions, so please email us at [email protected]
2) Volunteer to help: We always welcome volunteers to keep the library open and help with events, and are also on the lookout for people to help with the behind the scenes organising and planning. If you'd like to know more, pop in for a chat or email us on [email protected]
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4) Beome a Friend of the library for a small annual donation

5) Support our work by making a donation - click the button below to go to our BT MyDonate page

If you've got any questions, or wish to volunteer, email us at [email protected]
Background
In mid-2015, Fife Cultural Trust, who run the libraries on behalf of Fife Council, announced that Pittenweem Library would be one of 16 libraries across Fife which would be closed in 2016/17. Following two public meetings in Pittenweem, it was felt that we should explore what we can do to keep a Library open by developing a plan for a community-led library/hub, whilst continuing to challenge the closure decision. 

After initially campaigning against closure, community members in Pittenweem are planned to re-open the library as Pittenweem Community Library and Information Centre. The Fife Council library in Pittenweem closed at the end of February 2017, and the new community library opened in July, offering books and DVDs for loan, public access computers and a range of local and tourist information
Exploring a Community-Run Library
Following the announcement of closure, Fife Council committed to keep Pittenweem Library open until the end of February 2017, while the community actively investigated ways we could create a viable community-run library.

Nine Fife communities had the same challenge, and we stayed in close contact with groups in Crail, Colinsburgh, Lundin links and those further afield to pool resources and explore ways we could join forces in this community-run library model.

We've created a webpage full of resources and links about Libraries, and community-run libraries in particular - Click [Here] to see it. 

What do you want to see?
A community library must meet the particular needs of its community - and so in June 2016 we invited everyone to respond to our survey. Click on the button below to see the results.
What's happened so far?
  • 18th June 2015: Fife Cultural Trust announces plans to close 16 libraries - including Pittenweem scheduled to close 31st March 2016
  • 8th July - 6th Nov 2015: Public Consultation by Fife Council. [link to consultation documentation]
  • Lots of campaigning in Pittenweem by the Pittenweem Library Group, including a Read-in [news link]. 
  • 8th Dec 2015: Fife Council Executive Committee agreed to FCT’s proposed changes to library services (ie closure of 16 libraries).
  • 12th Dec 2015: Public meeting in Pittenweem – voted to submit an expression of interest to investigate community-led library provision [link to minutes]
  • 17th Dec 2015: PiCT submitted formal Expression of Interest in community-led alternative delivery Fife Council
  • 5th Jan 2016: Fife Council Scrutiny Committee rejects Executive committee’s proposal for closure, recommending that the 16 libraries be kept open another year to allow communities time to take over their running [news link]
  • 12th Jan 2016: Fife Council Executive committee does not accept the Scrutiny Committee’s proposal – a final decision is now referred to meeting of Full Council on 18th Feb
  • 18th Feb 2016: Fife Council voted to delay closure of nine of the libraries, including Pittenweem, in order to let communities develop better plans for alternative service provision. Other libraries will close for good. [news link]
  • 18th Feb 2016: Public Meeting in Pittenweem to share updates and gather feedback. [link to minutes]
  • 25th Feb 2016: Fife Council approved budget of up to £800,000 to keep nine libraries open up to the end of February 2017 and facilitate community take-over of the services [news link]
  • 25th Feb 2016: Pittenweem Community Trust submitted written form to Fife Council, confirming their intentions to explore an alternative delivery model for library provision
  • 16th March 2016: A productive meeting with a representative from Fife Council, who will be helping to steer us through the planning phase.
  • 31st March 2016: Closure of some libraries which were unable to progress with plans for a community-led alternative
  • June 2016: Community survey: What would the people of Pittenweem like to see in their community library?
  • 22 July 2016: Outline business plan for community-led library for Pittenweem submitted to Fife Council
  • 9 Aug 2016: Fife Council approves our business plan: we can now start more detailed planning
  • 31 Aug 2016: Our first fundraiser - at the legendary Pittenweem coffee morning [news link]
  • 11 Nov 2016: Fundraising Quiz night
  • 24 Nov 2016: Formal registration as a SCIO charity
  • 27 Feb 2017: Library closes for the last time as a Council / Cultural trust operation - candlelit vigil [news link]
  • May 2017: We get the keys! Lots of decorating, sorting and reorganising....
  • 12 July 2017: A 'soft' opening as we sort out our stock and systems
  • 28th August 2017: Our official opening celebration
Pittenweem Community Library and Information Centre is registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, no. SC047013