The library workers behind a scheme to help refugees connect with loved ones, a tech hub for blind and partially sighted people, and a flexible safe space for teenagers are among this year’s winners of our third annual Awards.

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

The winners were chosen by an expert panel including Lesley Parr, the award-winning author of children’s historical fiction. Parr was joined by judges from organisations including Arts Council England, The Reading Agency, the Queen’s Reading Room, the Guardian Foundation and digital book platform OverDrive, creator of the Libby reading app for libraries and Sora reading app for schools, which again generously sponsored the Awards.

Celebrated crime writer Ann Cleeves - creator of the Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn series - was chosen as recipient of the inaugural Public Library Champion award.

The winners are:

Children’s Promise

Gemma Mccaffery, Area Manager Library Services and Franka Aichour, Assistant Branch Manager, Botwell Green Library - Hillingdon Library Service

Awarded for improving services for young people and subsequently reducing anti-social behaviour. This included engaging with focus groups to plan and facilitate a World Café, setting up a safe space for teens and running a participatory budgeting event.
 

Culture and Creativity

Salma Chand, Library Customer Services Adviser - London Borough of Waltham Forest

Awarded for showing a commitment to inclusivity, creativity, and community resilience through library services. Salma’s ongoing efforts to implement PEEPS (Parent-Child Early Education Program) and collaborate with local artists exemplify her continuous commitment to community and cultural enrichment.
 

Health and Wellbeing

Alison Cassidy, Team Leader - Liverpool

Awarded for leading on developing health and wellbeing programmes including weekly health information, social prescribing, digital inclusion drop in sessions and marketplace events to tie in with national events.
 

Information and Digital

Luke Oakes, Library Development Manager
Rosie Veitch, Library Development Officer
Ana Silva, Library Development Officer
Paul Smith, District Library Assistant

All Cambridgeshire Libraries

Awarded for responding to urgent digital inclusion needs by helping asylum seekers connect with loved ones across the world.
 

Reading

Mazhar Iqbal, Librarian
Ambreen Aziz, Librarian
Becky Longwood, Librarian

All Kirklees Libraries

Awarded for running the weekly English Talk time sessions which make genuinely life-changing differences to some of the area’s most isolated residents.
 

Vision and Print Impaired People's Promise (VPIPP)

Mark Eldridge, Learning Systems and Operations Manager - Derby City Library Service

Awarded for improving the offer for blind and partially sighted people throughout Derby City, including setting up one of the first Tech Hubs specifically for blind and partially sighted people in partnership with RNIB.
 

President’s Award

Bethan Hughes, former Principal Librarian at Denbighshire Libraries

The recipient of the President’s Award is chosen personally by the President of Libraries Connected to recognise an outstanding contribution to the public library sector.
 

Public Library Champion

Ann Cleeves, novelist

The Public Library Champion award has been established to recognise a public figure who has used their platform to promote, celebrate and raise awareness of libraries. Cleeves, who is the author of 37 critically acclaimed crime novels, has been an outspoken advocate for public libraries throughout her career. Most significantly, Cleeves initiated and part-funded her Reading for Wellbeing project with local authorities across the North East.
 

Isobel Hunter MBE, chief executive of Libraries Connected, said:

Congratulations to all our Award winners. We received a record number of nominations this year so this really is a huge achievement. Our Awards showcase the remarkable opportunities libraries bring to their communities, but more importantly they recognise the individuals who make it all possible. With many libraries under severe financial pressure it’s vital that we celebrate the profound impact they can have.

We also congratulate our runners up in the six categories, as well as all those shortlisted. You can read more about their work here.