School Librarians of the Year 2025 Announced
Congratulations to Julie Broadbent of Northampton International Academy, winner of the 2025 Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award.
Julie has won for her work creating a culture of positivity at Northampton International Academy, where reading is celebrated. Open every day, including during social times, Julie has developed the school library into a welcoming safe space, housing a diverse collection that reflects the whole school community. From student-led assemblies advocating for the importance of reading, to book groups and giveaways, the impact Julie makes is also seen far beyond the walls of the library. Julie offers her students new experiences, encouraging them to unlock their potential, to access new ways of seeing the world and to become independent, confident learners.
The award judges commended Julie’s initiative in building partnerships within the wider community, working collaboratively with both the local Public Library and the University of Northampton to maximise reading for pleasure and study skills opportunities for the large numbers of students she supports.
This year marks twenty years of the School Librarian of the Year Award, which was established in 2005 by the late Aidan Chambers, during his tenure as President of the School Library Association. The award has become a cornerstone of recognition for secondary school library staff and in collaboration with Usborne Publishing, the SLA created an additional award in 2024. The Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award celebrates a library team that works together to ensure their school library positively impacts all the pupils in their primary school.
Mangotsfield C of E Primary School in Bristol was named this year’s winner of the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award. Led by Librarian Verity Robinson the library at Mangotsfield is the heart of the school’s reading community, helping every child see themselves as readers and laying the foundation for lifelong library use.
The award judges commented, ‘The Library and Librarian at Mangotsfield truly demonstrates what a Primary School can achieve when enabled by the senior leadership team and whole school community. By employing a dedicated, and experienced Librarian, the school has elevated Reading for Pleasure across the pupil experience as well as the staff body, contributing to everyone’s confidence around books.’
Julie Broadbent, Librarian at Northampton International Academy, winner of the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award said, ‘This is such an honour. I have been a school librarian for 25 years and this is the pinnacle of my career. The amazing thing about the school library is that for every single child who walks through the door, I can turn to them and say: “I’ve got something just for you!” Every child should have access to books, no matter where they are from, because we know the power of those books. Thank you – keep fighting the good fight; for money and for your voices to be heard, because what we do as school librarians is really, really important.’
Verity Robinson, Librarian at Mangotsfield Primary School, winner of the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award said, ‘Congratulations to all the other schools and libraries who are here today. I am so grateful for the community the School Library Association has built. We all know the impact that the school library makes. I was one of the lucky children; I grew up in a home full of stories, and my parents took me to the library, but we know that isn’t always the case.
Thank you to all the children at my school – for their curiosity, and for their enthusiasm. From the quietest children who don’t yet know they are readers, to the keenest of my student librarians, who are going to be so excited!’
CEO of the SLA, Victoria Dilly said, ‘Over the last 9 months I have had the great fortune to visit some of our member schools, see their libraries in action and hear from the young people they support about the value their school librarian brings to their school community. Through my own experience as a school librarian, I witnessed library colleagues whose work inspired, encouraged and empowered young people to reach their full potential. Visiting SLA members across the country has reinforced this experience and has made me ever more determined to advocate for all those who work to build incredible school libraries and the fundamental, often life-changing support they offer.
As we navigate ever increasing pressures in schools both on staff and students alike, and as we wait for ongoing changes to curriculum government policy and debates about budgets, the thing that never changes is the positive difference a school librarian and a well-run library can make to a whole school community. This is why our awards are so very important – they are an opportunity to celebrate success and the positive impact the work of our award nominees and winners has on the lives of hundreds of young people every single day. Through these awards we can show exactly why and how a school library and hard-working librarian is such an integral part of every young person’s education – and that investment in both should be an immovable item in the budget line and a point of pride for every school community.’
Alongside Julie Broadbent and Mangotsfield C of E Primary School, Thomas A’Becket Infant School in West Sussex was announced as the winner of the SLA Enterprise of the Year Award for their renovation of the school library, named The Shore: a tribute to Teaching Assistant, Miss Emily Shaw, who passed away suddenly at the start of 2024.
The awards ceremony took place on the evening of Thursday 6 November at CLPE, 44 Webber Street, London SE1. Anthony Horowitz presented the prizes and opened the ceremony with an address on the importance of celebrating school libraries, highlighting the vital contribution they make to school communities.
