The Edinburgh International Book Festival today launched its innovative Paper Trails libraries project, part of its year-round Communities Programme, at the official reopening of Ratho Hub Library by Her Majesty the Queen.
As recent statistics reveal that more than 1 in 4 older adults experience loneliness each week, only 1 in 5 young people read daily, and literacy rates across all ages countrywide have been declining since 2005, this five-year initiative is designed to tackle social isolation and literary inequality through creative community programming.
The Paper Trails project represents one of the most ambitious community literature initiatives in Scotland, working in partnership with five libraries: Muirhouse Library (housed in the new Macmillan Hub building), Ratho Hub Library, Liberton High School Library (opening in 2026), Streetreads (a charity-run library for people experiencing homelessness), and the Mobile Library service.
Using University of Edinburgh Cultural Mapping research, these libraries were chosen as locations where cultural provision could be enhanced and where little or no other festival activity currently takes place. The programme will co-create literary experiences with local communities, addressing specific neighbourhood needs while building sustainable capacity that extends beyond the Book Festival’s direct involvement.
Paper Trails represents our commitment to ensuring that literature and creative expression remain accessible to all communities. This isn’t just about bringing authors to libraries – it’s about listening to local people to tell their own stories and strengthening the vital role libraries play in community life.”
Noelle Cobden, Director of Communities and Equality at Edinburgh International Book Festival
The initiative has received significant backing from celebrated crime writer Sir Ian Rankin and his wife Miranda Harvey.
Paper Trails is also funded by the Ettrick Charitable Trust, Cruden Foundation, and National Lottery Awards for All.
“We couldn’t be more excited to announce this hugely ambitious project that cements existing, and generates new, creative relationships across the sector, and that has the potential to impact the lives of thousands of people from in and around the city. We’re delighted to begin the first phase of this a far reaching partnership and look forward to speaking with other organisations who are interested in supporting the work further and as we roll it out across our libraries.”
Jenny Niven, Director of Edinburgh International Book Festival
“I’m delighted to have been part of the official opening of Ratho Library by Her Majesty the Queen. The development of this library hub had the community at its heart and I’m so pleased that residents can now enjoy all that’s on offer there.
“Paper Trails is a wonderful initiative which harnesses the positive impact our libraries can have.”
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, the City of Edinburgh Council
Her Majesty The Queen‘s official opening of the newly rebuilt Ratho Library today highlights the vital importance of library services to local communities. The Ratho community had been without a permanent library since the COVID-19 pandemic, relying instead on weekly mobile library visits.
Paper Trails will work with diverse groups including young people, older adults, and those facing homelessness, using storytelling and creative writing to build connections and support personal growth. The programme specifically aims to tackle social isolation by encouraging library use, developing creative skills, and highlighting libraries as essential spaces for creativity and community gathering.
Paper Trails offers a model of how cultural organisations can work in partnership with local authorities to revitalise these essential community resources.
Each participating library will develop programming tailored to their community’s specific needs, from supporting young writers’ career development to creating intergenerational storytelling circles and providing creative outlets for marginalised communities. For example, the project’s Skills Pathways will give young people in Liberton the opportunity to learn about how festivals are produced, widening their understanding and engagement with the literary sector beyond simply access to books.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival‘s Communities Programme, of which Paper Trails forms a central part, works year-round with partners including schools, libraries, prisons, and hospitals to foster lifelong love of reading and develop engaged audiences of all backgrounds and ages.
As the charity prepares for its August festival (9-24 August 2025), Paper Trails demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to ensuring the transformative power of literature reaches every corner of Edinburgh’s diverse communities.
