The library workers behind a book club for those with learning disabilities, a local digital device refurbishment scheme and a creative space that opens up the library for young people are among the winners of this year’s Libraries Connected Awards.

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

Librarians from Kent, the London Borough of Newham, Hull, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Oxfordshire and Manchester received their awards last night at a ceremony at Chesford Grange Hotel in Warwickshire.

The winners were chosen by an expert panel including Luke Burton, Director, Libraries at Arts Council England, Debbie Hicks, Creative Director at The Reading Agency and Lucy Banks, Programme Manager at the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians. They were joined by several Heads of Library Services as well as representatives from OverDrive, the headline sponsor of the Awards for the fourth year in succession. 

Also receiving awards on the night were Julie Bell, recipient of the Libraries Connected President’s Special Achievement Award, and Lyusyena Shum, Executive Director of Library Country Ukraine.

The winners and runners-up are:

Children’s Promise

Winner: Schools Library Service, Hull

Runner-up: Jane Mellors, Hannah Pegg and Jo Brown, Hertfordshire

Culture and Creativity

Winner: Zoe Williams, Gail Mallett and James Ryan, Manchester

Runner-up: Chris White, Devon Libraries – Libraries Unlimited

Health and Wellbeing

Winner: Jake Tilling and Karen Seymour , Oxfordshire

Runner-up: Sarah Baker and Charlotte Strong, Nottinghamshire - Inspire

Information and Digital

Winner: Natasha Nelson, Sahib Raj and Muireann McMenamy, London Borough of Newham

Runner-up: Mary Burgess, Cambridgeshire

Reading

Winner: Sue Carmichael, Kent

Runner-up: Molly Bews, Newport

Vision and Print Impaired People's Promise (VPIPP)

Winner: Muhammad Haque, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Runner-up: Grace Lama, Hertfordshire

Read more about the 2025 Awards winners’ work here.

Isobel Hunter MBE, Libraries Connected Chief Executive, said: 

“At our Awards ceremony, I am delighted anew by the determination and creativity of public library staff. This year’s winners and runners-up stand out for their unwavering commitment to providing a service to their local communities that goes far above and beyond the requirements of their job specifications. Library staff continue to work in difficult, straitened financial circumstances, making their achievements all the more remarkable.”

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

“These awards shine a spotlight on the vital work happening every day in libraries across the UK, from driving digital inclusion to championing literacy and community wellbeing. The creativity and dedication shown by this year’s winners and runners-up is inspiring, and we’re honoured to celebrate the individuals behind these transformative services and programmes. After sponsoring the awards for the fourth year running, we continue to be amazed by these library workers and are incredibly proud to support the Libraries Connected Awards.”