The pioneering library at HMP Saughton in Edinburgh has been given £5,000 for winning a prestigious award in recognition for the life-changing impact on inmates.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Prison Governor Nigel Ironside received the money from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Cilips) for coming first in the Libraries Change Lives Award.
Saughton Prison Library and its City of Edinburgh Council Librarian - Kate King - have tirelessly worked to reduce re-offending by tackling the issue of low literacy levels amongst the prison population.
Opened in a purpose-built extension in November 2008, less than two years later Saughton Prison Library has become the only library in Scotland with a waiting list, welcoming more than 12,500 prisoners through the doors in its first year alone.
Furthermore, damage done to library books has reduced significantly from 80 per cent to zero since the new library opened.
The library's mission is to offer a service which addresses social inclusion issues amongst the prison population and provides support opportunities for education and employment, thereby improving the transition from prison to outside community life.
The work is aimed at encouraging prisoners to engage with the library and aims to give them the skills to improve their chances of employment on release, and contribute to reducing re-offending levels. The librarian has also worked with their families to improve family literacy.
The award money will be used to further this work, improve communications with prisoners and open up more channels of access to the library and its resources.
The cheque was handed over at a special event in the library on the afternoon of Wednesday 25 August.