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School Library Association announces shortlists for 2026 awards

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The School Library Association has announced the shortlists for the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award, sponsored by Bloomsbury Publishing, and the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award.

This is the 21st anniversary of the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award which celebrates the achievements of librarians who support reading enjoyment, critical thinking, independent learning and pupil wellbeing across their whole school community. This year, the award welcomes a new sponsor in publisher Bloomsbury.

Oxford High School library

The 2026 shortlist features three real-life case studies which show the enormous positive impact that an innovative, dedicated school librarian can have on the personal, social and educational development of the young people they support.

Organisers say that the work of this year’s shortlisted librarians goes far beyond encouraging reading for pleasure, though they each do this in a variety of ways including hosting events, staging literacy interventions, building pupil-led reading schemes and improving access and inclusivity within the school library.

 

The librarians on the shortlist for the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award are:

Jane Hill – Kings Langley School (Hertfordshire)

During a decade of librarianship at Kings Langley School, Jane has created an enticing and subsequently busy library where students love to spend time. Her thriving library leaders programme involves around 60 students, and she regularly takes groups to read to residents of a local care home. By responding to what her students want and need, Jane has built a library that allows every individual to feel valued. Her collaboration with curriculum staff means the benefits of the library extend beyond its physical walls, and everyone at Kings Langley benefits from her presence.

Angela Parkinson – Tarporley High School (Cheshire)

Tarporley High’s library has the uncommon set up of sharing a space with the local public library. Angela has not only adapted to this situation but formed a thriving and inclusive space which benefits everyone’s needs. Angela is valued as a professional leader both inside school, and across the Trust. She has created a bustling library space which is central to the school’s aims and activities, reaching every student and staff member.

Matilda McMorrow – Oxford High School (Oxford)

Matilda is an incredibly passionate librarian who fosters a busy but purposeful atmosphere and demonstrates strong interpersonal relationships with staff and students. She has created a positive, welcoming library that goes beyond the four walls of the physical space, and which benefits the whole Oxford High School community – including via a half-termly Reading Cafe that is well attended by staff and parents.

The Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award recognises a team that works together to ensure their school library positively impacts all the pupils in their primary school. Usborne’s sponsorship of this award is a continuation of founder Peter Usborne’s lifetime commitment to supporting literacy.

The shortlist was selected by a judging panel that included Jenny Tyler, former Publishing Director and now Professor of Publishing at Usborne.

The shortlist for the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award is as follows:

Sinclair Primary and Nursery School (Hampshire)

Erika White’s library is a bright and colourful place which supports students inside the school walls, as well as advocating for them outside.  Students play an active daily role in the running of the library, in addition to benefiting from fantastic opportunities working with the local public library. They even spoke with their local MP recently about the importance of libraries. Reading ambassadors lead a weekly book club with linked activities and support younger pupils with their choices, while parents are invited in for reading time and workshops so that they feel part of the library community. This is a library that is fully embedded in school life.

Halberton Primary School (Devon)

At Halberton Primary School, librarian Christine Campion has taken the small space as an opportunity to empower everyone to have responsibility for the library and its resources.  This encourages students to be thoughtful and careful as well as organised – they learn to consider the impact that they have on others and the world around them. The space itself has been thoughtfully created, with input from the local community, around a focus on sustainability that reflects the school’s values.

Balksbury Federation of Infant and Junior Schools (Hampshire)

Balksbury Federation’s Library is a haven of warmth and bookish enthusiasm. The library is open for timetabled slots as well as ‘pop in’ opportunities. Children are directly involved in choosing the stock purchased by being encouraged to express their opinions on what they are enjoying and what they think is missing. This helps them feel ownership of the library and its resources, which is further developed into responsibility and leadership by the pupil library assistant programme.

Forest School (Snaresbrook, London)

Forest School exemplifies what it is possible to offer in a school library, and how students benefit when time and budget is dedicated to a library team that is professionally valued. With four people on the library team, specific projects – such as coordinating the pupil library assistant programme, or library displays – can be designated to individuals, while the general tasks of running a library are everyone’s responsibility. This library exemplifies what can be achieved with dedicated budget and staff.

Sam Taplin, Managing Director of Usborne said, “Hearing from the schools shortlisted for last year’s Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award was one of the most moving testaments to the power and importance of children’s books I’ve ever heard, and I look forward to being inspired all over again by this year’s remarkable, shortlisted librarians.”

Victoria Dilly, CEO of the SLA, said, ‘School libraries have the potential to meet the needs of every child in every school, across all areas of learning. These awards celebrate the librarians and library teams who turn that potential into reality.

As the School Library Association approaches its 90th anniversary, these awards remain one of our most prominent advocacy programmes, sharing real-life examples of the difference that investment in school libraries can make to all our children and young people.’

The awards ceremony for the Secondary School Librarian of the Year and Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Awards will take place on 18 November 2026 at The Story Museum, Oxford with the ceremony hosted by Carnegie-shortlisted author, Chris Vick. The charity will also celebrate the inaugural Barrington Stoke Reader of the Year Award at this event.

The School Library Association Announces Honours Lists for 2025 Awards

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The School Library Association has announced the Honours lists for its annual Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award, the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award, and the Enterprise Award.

The School Librarian of the Year Award was originally proposed by the late author and educator Aidan Chambers, during his tenure as President of the SLA. This year sponsored by Browns Books, the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award continues to highlight and celebrate the achievements of staff who put reading at the heart of their pupils’ education and support learning throughout the whole school community.

The 2025 shortlist features three dedicated librarians who have each developed innovative approaches to embedding and encouraging a reading culture within their schools, demonstrating excellence in many areas including curriculum support, collaborative working, and developing pupil-centred programmes of activity that extend enthusiasm for books and reading far beyond the walls of the library.

The Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award recognises a team that works together to ensure their school library positively impacts all the pupils in their primary school. Usborne’s sponsorship of this award is a continuation of founder Peter Usborne’s lifetime commitment to supporting literacy.

The shortlist of three primary school libraries in Birmingham, Bristol and Northampton showcases how dedicated librarians, strong leadership support, and whole-school community engagement can transform library spaces into vibrant hubs that elevate reading culture, engage pupils and create measurable impact.

The Enterprise of the Year Award celebrates one-off or progressive projects which contribute towards reading and literacy in schools. This could include a large refurbishment, or a smaller scale project such as a whole school information literacy, reading project, or book event. Sponsored by Reading Cloud, this award shortlists three inspiring projects that highlight imaginative approaches to library development and the importance of community engagement.

The Shortlist for each award is as follows:

Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award:

Jill Fenton, Cheney School, Headington (Oxfordshire)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Broadbent, Northampton International Academy, Northampton

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gareth Evans, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham (Wiltshire)

Judges’ comments:

 

 

 

 

 

Jill Fenton has created a structured approach to both Reading for Pleasure and Research Skills and has equipped the library with the resources needed to respond to the needs of the students and staff she works with.

Julie Broadbent has worked collaboratively with both the local Public Library as well as the University of Northampton to maximise the reading for pleasure and study skills opportunities for the large numbers of students that she works with, across both Primary and Secondary phases.

Gareth Evans has built a strong and vibrant LRC offering over the past 8 years at Abbeyfield.  He has created a curated programme of Library lessons complimenting the English curriculum throughout Key Stage 3, as well as integrating cross-curricular links wherever possible.

The Peter Usborne Primary Library Award:

  • Dorrington Academy, Birmingham
  • Mangotsfield Church of England Primary School, Bristol
  • Upton Meadows Primary School, Northampton

Judges’ comments:

Dorrington Academy’s library has created real impact over the short time it has been open. The library staff have created multiple opportunities to engage school pupils and teachers and students alike use the Reference Library as an important learning resource. The creation of a dedicated Parents’ Library has helped to build reading culture at home as well as at school.

Mangotsfield Church of England Primary School’s journey of taking the library from a disused space to being an integral part of daily life is inspirational, and everyone can take something from it. The Library and Librarian truly demonstrates what a Primary School can achieve when enabled by the SLT and whole school community.

Upton Meadows Primary School have positioned their library at the physical and educational heart of the school. The pupils are regularly experiencing quality books, as well as many of them holding the position of library helper, further developing their sense of responsibility and community.

The Enterprise of the Year Award:

  • The Shore, Thomas A’ Becket Infant School, Worthing (West Sussex)
    The new Thomas A’ Becket Infant School Library is called ‘The Shore’ in tribute to Teaching Assistant, Miss Emily Shaw, who passed away suddenly at the start of 2024. The deliberate homophone also formed the basis for the library’s underwater design, and acknowledges the school’s location on the South Coast.
  • Creative Learning Hub, Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells (Kent)
    The aim of the Creative Learning Hub was to reimagine a disused space into a resource to support a whole school Reading for Pleasure initiative with creativity at the centre of the approach.
  • The Big Read, Alleyn’s Junior School, London
    The Big Read is a termly Saturday book club for children from local state schools, especially those unable to host author visits due to budget constraints. Books are sent to schools free of charge for each pupil in advance, they read the chosen book ahead of time and then meet the author on the day.

Judges’ comments:

The Shore: The school’s creative approach to this project has created a welcoming and vibrant environment that perfectly reflects its pupils needs, making it a remarkable community-driven project.

Creative Learning Hub: This project makes an inspiring read; the transformation of the existing library into a ‘ Learning Hub’ meant the space became much more accessible. The hub was exactly that; a hive of creative activity, the children’s place to read in class and outside the curriculum

The Big Read: Children who have attended raved about this experience; the positivity on offer is impressive. The project is inspirational in its scope and in its broad enrichment objectives, all of which it is achieving. 

CEO of the SLA, Victoria Dilly said, ‘The SLA Awards form a powerful advocacy programme that help us to amplify the voices and achievements of school librarians across the country. These awards showcase real-life case studies and demonstrate the transformative impact of school libraries on children and young people’s lives.

When we celebrate our award winners, we’re not just honouring individual excellence; we’re creating opportunities to evidence just how much school libraries support the personal, social and educational development of our children and young people. Each nomination tells a story of innovation, dedication, and measurable impact. These are stories that need to be heard by policymakers, senior leaders, and the wider community.

As we continue to champion the vital role of school libraries, these awards serve as our most prominent stage to demonstrate why investment in school library provision and the talented people who deliver it is not just beneficial – it’s essential.’

The award ceremony for Secondary School Librarian of the Year, Peter Usborne Primary Library of the Year, and Enterprise of the Year Awards will take place at the British Library in London on the afternoon of Thursday 6th November 2025.

The School Library Association annual awards rely entirely on sponsor funding and the SLA is grateful to all the sponsors, past and present, without whom these awards would not be possible.

 

SLA announce shortlists for Primary School Library of the Year Award and Honour List for 2024 Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award

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The School Library Association have announced the shortlist for the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award, sponsored by Usborne, and the Honour List for the 2024 Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award, sponsored by OverDrive.

The SLA’s awards honour the hard work of library staff who run school libraries fostering a love of reading in children and teaching them skills for life.

To commemorate the late Peter Usborne’s commitment to supporting literacy, Usborne are sponsoring the newly named Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award. This award celebrates outstanding primary school libraries and the staff and pupils who are making an impact in their school.

The shortlist for the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

East Hunsbury Primary School, Northampton

East Hunsbury Primary School serves over 400 pupils and encompasses a specialist provision for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties. The library space unites all the children in a shared space they all love where they can tap into the power of reading. The school’s librarian works with all the school staff and leadership to ensure the children are able to access quality and relevant books both through the curriculum and in their spare time.

Fairfield School, West Yorkshire

Fairfield School educates over 100 pupils with profound and complex disabilities, between the ages of 3 and 19. The staff have a passion to bring a love of books to all the pupils, whatever their age or individual needs. The creative solutions employed in the inclusive and accessible library range from high tech communication aids to the ingenious addition of lolly sticks to regular books to aid page turning. Pupils are encouraged to feel ownership of their library through helping with book stamping and telling stories to other pupils.

Steyning C of E Primary School, West Sussex

Steyning Primary School library’s effect is far reaching in terms of space, spreading to roaming book trolleys and an outdoor reading shed, and in learning. The experienced librarian teaches all the school’s 350+ pupils skills in reading for pleasure and information literacy in dedicated lessons. The librarian also identifies reluctant readers and seeks to understand their attitudes to reading to find a way to engage them. The library’s impact is further maximised through highly trained pupil librarians who take an active role in book lending, choosing stock and guiding younger readers. Over the last five years, borrowing has increased 600%.

Sudbury Primary School, Middlesex

Established in 2016 and named ‘Booktropolis’, the Sudbury Primary School library is having a big impact on reading progress. The vision behind Booktropolis is to provide ‘mirrors and windows’ to the school’s 930 pupils. The Library Leader, EAL Leader and Diversity Board ensure pupils of all backgrounds can see themselves reflected in a book, and also have a view out on different cultures and experiences, through the library’s books. Pupil librarians help to spread a love of reading through a scheme where they buddy up with younger readers.

Chair of the Judges, Paul Register said, ‘This year’s shortlist all show a commitment to whole school literacy that is plain to see. The impact these libraries are having is astounding and inspirational.’

Nicola Usborne said, ‘We are thrilled to be able to celebrate inspiring primary school libraries and the passionate professionals who work so hard to shape them. I hope that this award will encourage students to feel proud of their school library.’

The Secondary School Librarian of the Year, sponsored by OverDrive, highlights the achievements of staff in secondary school libraries who have gone above and beyond to make reading the heart of their students’ education and support learning across the school. After a rigorous process of interviews and school visits, the judges have named three librarians as this year’s Secondary School Librarian of the Year Honour List.

The Honour List for the School Librarian of the Year , in alphabetical order of first name, is as follows:

Alice Leggatt – Oaks Park High School, Surrey

Under Alice’s guidance, the library at Oaks Park High School has become a place for all students to read and celebrate their achievements, interests and cultural lives. The clubs, activities and events that Alice leads are student-centered and engaging, equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need. Alice’s innovative museum space encourages students to expand their interests whilst boosting their cultural capital.

Elizabeth Vale – Thomas Mills High School, Suffolk

Elizabeth’s passion has fostered a love of reading that has turned the library into the cultural hub of Thomas Mills High School. Elizabeth has ensured the library is embedded in the school’s daily life through many popular clubs and book events. Students are encouraged to take an active role in organising events, leading assemblies and running book groups, giving them a boost in confidence.

Heather Grainger – Weatherhead High School, Wirral

For the past ten years, Heather has dedicated herself to bringing the joy of reading to each and every pupil at Weatherhead High School. Through lessons, book recommendations, author visits and clubs, Heather seeks to engage all readers whatever their interests or needs. Through her Student Librarian Leadership Scheme, students are being empowered with life skills they need to excel.

Paul Register, Chair of Judges, said, ‘As a team of experienced school librarians ourselves, our judging panel was excited to read through the bumper bundle of entries from schools for this year’s Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award. Taking those entries and narrowing them down into an Honour List was not an easy task but we have chosen a group of school librarians who show creative innovation within their schools, dedication to their students and a passion for the profession. We hope they are all very proud to have made it this far into the whole process. Their schools are lucky to have them.’

Alison Tarrant, CEO of the School Library Association said, “The schools and staff on these lists should be incredibly proud. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the pupils in these schools are being supported, inspired and encouraged not just to read but to learn and be well. They are benefiting from the space, staff and stock and are learning skills, developing confidence and experiencing empowerment – which together are creating bright futures for pupils. They are an example of the quality of school libraries across the UK.

Ros Harding, UK Schools’ Account Manager at the award’s sponsor OverDrive said, ‘We are so proud to honour these outstanding librarians whose dedication, innovation and leadership have positively impacted their communities. They have worked tirelessly to make their school libraries a safe space to learn, be creative and develop a love of reading.’

The winners will be announced at a ceremony later this year, alongside the winners of the SLA’s Enterprise of the Year Award. The Awards process for 2025 will open in July. For more information about all of these awards visit www.sla.org.uk/awards

Shortlist for the 2022 SLA Information Book Award

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The School Library Association has announced the 2022 shortlist for their Information Book Award (IBA).

Now in its twelfth year, the IBA aims to emphasise the importance of non-fiction by highlighting and celebrating the high standard of children’s information books.

The awards are divided into three age categories, judged by a panel of educators. Children will then also have the opportunity to vote for their favourites in each group, as well as their favourite overall, to determine four additional Children’s Choice winners.

Margaret Pemberton, IBA Chair, says, ‘This is once again a tremendous year for high quality, informative and enjoyable information books. The range of books is wide and they cover diverse and fascinating topics, in all of the age categories. Choosing the shortlist has been a strenuous but exhilarating challenge to the judges.’

This year’s shortlist is made up of 10 titles, drawing on themes of science, art and diversity.

The shortlist for each age category is as follows:

AGE 0-7

All About Diversity An Engineer Like Me Meet the Microbes Felicity Brooks, illustrated by Mar Ferrero, Usborne

An Engineer Like Me, Dr. Shini Somara,  illustrated by Nadja Sarell, Wren & Rook (HCG)

Meet the Microbes, Dr Emily Grossman illustrated by Maggie Li, Wren & Rook (HCG)

What is Racism?, Katie Daynes & Jordan Akpojaro , illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, Usborne

AGE 8-12

Black and British: An Illustrated History, David Olusoga illustrated by Jake Alexander & Melleny Taylor, Macmillan Children’s Books

Making a Baby: An Inclusive Guide to How Every Family Begins, Rachel Greener illustrated by Clare Owen, Nosy Crow

Unleash Your Creative Monster: A Children’s Guide to Writing, Andy Jones , illustrated by Olaf Falafel, Walker Books

AGE 13-16

Black Artists Shaping the World, Sharna Jackson & Dr Zoé Whitely, Thames and Hudson

Grown: The Black Girl’s Guide to Glowing Up Melissa Cummings-Quarry & Natalie A. Carter Illustrated by Dorcas Magbadelo, Bloomsbury

What’s the T?, Juno Dawson, illustrated by Soofiya, Wren & Rook (HCG)

Along with the shortlist, accompanying activities that can be easily implemented in a school library or classroom setting have been released to help schools unlock the full potential of these titles.

These are available to download for FREE via the SLA website, with packs of the shortlisted titles also available at a discounted price from Peters.

Voting for the Children’s Choice is now open, and children are encouraged to get involved in the award by voting to crown their favourites. The winners will be announced in a ceremony to take place in November.

For more information and to download your resources, visit the SLA website.

The Information Book Award is sponsored by Hachette Children’s Book Group.

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