We are excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 2024 Libraries Connected Awards!

Now in their third year, our Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in public libraries. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in June 2024, part of the Libraries Connected annual seminar. Our Awards recognise individuals or teams working in public libraries who have had an exceptional impact on their library service, library users or their local communities. This could by introducing an innovative new idea or going the extra to mile to provide an excellent service to library users.

The Awards are open to individuals or teams and are made in the following six categories, which reflect the Universal Library Offers (ULOs) and Promises:

• Culture and Creativity
• Health and Wellbeing
• Information and Digital
• Reading
• Children’s Promise
• Vision and Print Impaired People’s Promise

Developed with library leaders, frontline workers and users, the ULOs and Promises are the essential services and experiences that libraries provide. They act as a framework for a high quality, consistent library service and demonstrate the power of libraries to enrich lives.

Nominations can come from anyone working in or with public libraries, including volunteers and library partners. Members of the public are not able to nominate directly but can contact their library service and suggest a nomination.

The shortlisted nominations are considered by an expert panel of judges including authors, library leaders and representatives of national organisations such as Arts Council England, The Reading Agency and the BBC.

Isobel Hunter MBE, our chief executive, said:

"The Libraries Connected Awards are a chance to celebrate the amazing library workers that make such an impact in so many areas of our lives – not only books and reading, but health, technology, culture and much more. The last few years have shown how quickly libraries can adapt to serve the needs of their communities – it’s frontline library workers that make that possible. It’s so important, then, that we recognise their incredible achievements with these Awards."