Councillors Toner, Davies and Hampton are pictured with library staff and Belmont students who are very enthusiastic about the new library cards.
School pupils at Belmont Academy in Ayr have become the first in South Ayrshire to join a fully integrated school and public library service, and have been issued with a specially designed twin use library card.
The new card harnesses the state of the art library management system Millennium, currently used by South Ayrshire Council public libraries, and extends it into South Ayrshire's secondary school libraries.
The colourful, newly designed library cards for school pupils will give automatic access to their own school library and provide them with the opportunity to access the wider range of South Ayrshire libraries resources and facilities. For pupils and staff this means access to the free internet service, access to online journals, access to a free request service and a chance to enjoy the hugely popular downloadable ebook/eaudio service. All these services are available 24/7.
Councillor Hywel Davies, Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning said: "Pupils now have a library and information service which enables them to borrow and return books from the school library, any South Ayrshire public library and online.
"This means that students can access information when they want, and where they want whether that is at home, school, libraries or on mobile devices.
"The new card will help support pupils' education and give them information at their fingertips. Just as important, it will enable pupils to access information and support their personal learning and development which will help shape them into active citizens."
Speaking about the new library card Councillor Margaret Toner, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Tourism and Leisure said: "Our library service is always improving and this is another example of the way in which we are using modern technology to deliver the highest quality of service possible to our customers.
"Libraries provide access to the literary world whether it is through a book, e-book, computer or audio book. The way in which we are delivering library services across South Ayrshire is continually changing to meet the needs of the modern world and this encourages people of all ages to use our library facilities."
The scheme will be launched at Belmont Academy in Ayr initially and will then be rolled-out to the other seven secondary schools.
For further information about the facilities available through libraries in South Ayrshire log on to www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/libraries. You can also find the the library catalogue at library.south-ayrshire.gov.uk, the library blog sayrshirelib.wordpress.com or the ereads service www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/ereads