Taking advantage of the Lending Voices project, an exciting initiative from South Lanarkshire’s libraries, the two St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School pupils, Kaden Coulter and Rachel Finnegan, interviewed East Kilbride author Iain Kelly.

The duo unearthed some surprising insights from the author using their journalistic skills to delve into the inspirations and creative processes behind Iain's work, particularly his novel ‘All We Cannot Leave Behind’.

The recording highlights the author's enthusiasm for discussing literary themes and the influences on his work, providing the audience with a deeper understanding of his literary journey.

Iain said: “Thanks to Kaden and Rachel for such great questions. I really enjoyed discussing all things books with them.”

English teacher, Claire Gemson, who helped organise the interview with Iain, said “Rachel is one of our school’s first ever National Progression Award Journalism students and she relished the challenge of using her new skills in a live interview.”

You can hear the full interview on the Lending Voices podcast.

The school was awarded Reading Schools Gold accreditation last year by the Scottish Book Trust, demonstrating a community-wide approach to championing and maintaining its culture of reading for pleasure.

The school often works with East Kilbride Central Library which organised the event.

Information Services Librarian Scott Broadfoot said: “Individuals and groups can use the kit to record and share their stories, ensuring they retain ownership of their creations.

“This project also opens up opportunities for collaborations with local schools and organisations. Anyone keen on exploring podcasting is welcome to participate."

The podcast joins the growing collection of community voices in the Lending Voices: Portable Podcasting in Your Library project which is funded by the Scottish Library and Information Council.

Kay Morrison, Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture, said: “Our project aims to make podcasting accessible to everyone in South Lanarkshire, regardless of their technical skills, with training provided if needed.

“Portable podcasting kits are provided, complete with studio-quality equipment for up to four people, which are easily transportable and available across various library branches.”

Please email LendingVoices@library.s-lanark.org.uk to learn more about the project and to book a session with one of our portable podcasting kits.