Library events with guided visits to special collections and urban walks

One of the most exciting parts of STRIDE is how it brings Glasgow’s remarkable history right to your doorstep – or rather, right to your walking shoes.

Participants to STRIDE events will first get a special glimpse into the treasures held in the Mitchell Library’s Special Collections, one of the finest in Scotland. Carefully chosen materials will be on display for each themed event, and presented by librarians: think historical documents, photographs, and records that tell the stories of Scottish histories and traditions that shaped the city.

These themes then come alive along the route itself, with guided walks by Glasgow Move Leaders bringing the past to life as you stride through Glasgow’s streets. Far from being confined to a reading room, the city itself becomes a living, breathing museum, and you don’t need any specialist knowledge, kit, or experience to enjoy it. Whether you are a lifelong Glaswegian or new to the area, STRIDE offers a fresh way to connect with the place you live.
 
Taking part in STRIDE is about much more than just getting your steps in. Whether looking to get a little more active, connect with new people, or simply explore Glasgow’s heritage through fresh eyes, these events are designed to leave you feeling better for having joined.

Workshops with stakeholders

Alongside themed library visits and guided walks, STRIDE will also be bringing together a wider group of people who care deeply about libraries, walking, and wellbeing in Scotland.

We are hosting two workshops where experts, librarians, health professionals, community organisations, and policy makers will sit down together to share ideas, debate findings, and help shape the future of library-based walking groups across the country.

From national health bodies and disability organisations to refugee support groups and local community associations, these conversations will ensure that STRIDE’s recommendations are grounded in real experience and speak to the needs of everyone, especially those who are hardest to reach.

Because better libraries, better walking programmes, and better wellbeing should be for all of us.

Dissemination and outreach

STRIDE is not just about what happens during the events and workshops: it is about making sure the lessons learned reach as many people as possible. Throughout the project, we will be sharing updates and stories via this website, social media, and the Mitchell Library and Glasgow Life’s own webpages, so anyone can follow along and see how things are progressing.
 
We will publish our findings in academic journals and present them at professional conferences, so that researchers and practitioners across Scotland and beyond can benefit from what we have discovered.
 
Most excitingly, we will be producing a freely available toolkit – including walk guides, audio recordings, storyboards, and practical templates – so that other libraries and cultural organisations can take inspiration from STRIDE and run their own walking programmes.
 
The goal is simple: to make library-based walking groups a reality for communities everywhere, not just in Glasgow.