Who can be nominated?

Any individual or team below Head of Service level working for a public library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or the Crown Dependencies can be nominated – this includes volunteer/community run libraries, prison libraries etc. if they form part of the statutory library service.

Who can put forward a nominee?

Nominations can come from anyone, but we are particularly keen to hear from those working in or with public libraries, including volunteers and library partners.

Can I nominate myself?

Yes, applications are welcomed from individuals, on their own behalf or on behalf of others, and from partner organisations.

How do I submit a nomination?

You can submit a nomination using this online form. The deadline for applications is Monday 6 January 2025. If you have any difficulty in using the form, contact info@librariesconnected.org.uk.

What information will I need to submit a nomination?

You will need to tell us; your name, email, organisation and role, the nominees’ name, email address and organisation, which category you are nominating them in and why you are nominating them.

See example application

What are you looking for in a nominee?

We are looking for individuals or teams working in public libraries who have had a positive impact on their library service, library users or the local community. This could by introducing an innovative new idea or by going the extra to mile to provide an outstanding service. Libraries Connected Awards are given to individuals or teams, not projects. It’s all about the contribution that library workers make, whether that’s spearheading a high-profile national initiative or making small changes that improve the everyday experience of library users.

What period of work should the nomination cover?

There are no time restrictions to the nomination you can put someone forward for their work over a long period of time or something more recent.

What are the award categories?

We will be making six awards, one for each of the Universal Library Offers and Promises, as follows:

• Information and Digital
• Reading
• Health and Wellbeing
• Culture and Creativity
• Children and Young People
• Vision and Print Impaired People.

Who will be judging the awards?

The awards will be judged by those leading these areas of work nationally.

What are the judges looking for?

Judges will be assessing nominations in four categories, looking at how nominees have:

1.         Gone beyond what is expected by:

• Developing new services
• Improving existing services
• Responding to a particular local need

2.         Demonstrated innovation through:

• Services delivered
• Methods of delivery
• Approaches to funding
• Working in partnership

3.         Widened the reach of the library by:

• Improving access for people with impairments, disabilities, or health conditions.
• Diversifying the library offer, making it more inclusive and welcoming to all sections of the community

4.         Had a clear impact on:

• Improving their library service
• Increasing engagement with library users
• Understanding and meeting the needs of their local community

We do not expect nominations to meet all these criteria, however, we would expect successful nominations to meet at least one of the criteria in each category.

What do you win?

The winner in each category will have their story featured on the Libraries Connected website and receive a free place at the Libraries Connected Annual Seminar in June 2025 (including accommodation and travel) where the awards will be presented. If a team wins, they will need to choose one person to represent them at the seminar.

When will the judges make their decision?

The deadline for nominations is January 6th 2025, shortlisting will take place on a rolling basis with final judging taking place in Spring 2025. We expect to be in a position to notify the winners by the end of April 2025.