Libraries Connected is excited to announce the shortlist of nominees for our annual Awards.

The Libraries Connected Awards celebrate the achievements of library workers who have had an exceptional impact on their library service, users or their local communities. Awards are made in six categories which reflect our Universal Library Offers (ULOs) and Promises – the core services and programmes that modern library services provide.

This year’s nominees include an innovative project that provides access to vital digital skills for children and families, an inclusive approach to welcoming neurodiverse children and young people into the library and the transformation of a library service into a vibrant, inclusive and accessible hub for visually impaired residents amongst many others.

The shortlisted nominations will now be considered by an expert panel including library service professionals, publishers and experts from library and literacy charities including the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians (ASCEL) and The Reading Agency. Judges also come from organisations including Arts Council England, Creative Lives, ClearVision and digital book platform OverDrive, creator of the Libby reading app for libraries and Sora reading app for schools, which is again generously sponsoring the Awards.

The winners will be announced on June 10 at a ceremony during the Libraries Connected annual seminar in Warwickshire.

Find out more about the shortlisted entrants

Nick Forster, Senior Regional Manager, EMEA at OverDrive said:

“We are thrilled to continue our sponsorship of the Libraries Connected Awards for the fourth consecutive year. Each year, we are inspired by the dedication, creativity, and passion of library workers who go above and beyond to serve their communities. The quality of this year’s entries highlights the vital role libraries play in providing access to books, culture, and technology, and we are proud to celebrate and support these incredible contributions.”

Libraries Connected Chief Executive Isobel Hunter said: 

“Every year I am staggered and delighted anew when I read about the vibrancy and creativity of the projects library professionals and volunteers have begun and then steered to success. By continuing to innovate and improve lives whilst working with what are often very challenging circumstances, library staff show themselves as the best possible advocates for adequately resourced public library services.”