Manchester Libraries have secured funding to create 3D walkthrough tours of all 22 Manchester Library venues.
The £20,250 grant awarded from the Library On programme, and funded by Arts Council England, will allow the creation of virtual tours of all the Manchester library venues for the first time. It will give viewers an immersive experience, enabling them to explore our libraries broad and diverse sections, historical nuances and architecture, all from the comfort of their screens, before making visits.
The Library On programme not only celebrates libraries but works to improve digital access to information and services which in turn aims to increase visits to public libraries by making their offers and services easier to discover and use.
This project is rooted in the need to make Manchester Libraries 22 sites easier to discover and access, physically and online. It addresses national research, and our own feedback, that some neurodivergent people, particularly those with autism, are not comfortable visiting locations unless they know exactly what to expect.
Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure said: "This is wonderful news. These virtual tours make the most of the opportunities that technology offers and will make a real difference to many of our visitors by making it easier for existing and new customers to find, access, and engage with our libraries online. As well as increasing the number of online and physical visits to Manchester Libraries, we hope the virtual tours will create more accessibility for neuro divergent people – particularly those with autism."
Work on creating the virtual tours commences shortly and they will be available to view on numerous Manchester Libraries web pages and social media platforms from spring next year.