We are very pleased announced the shortlist of nominees for our annual Awards.

The Libraries Connected 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 our Universal Library Offers (ULOs) and Promises – the core services and programmes that modern library services provide.

This year’s nominees include a dementia project that uses fashion to stimulate long-term memory, a scheme to help refugees connect with loved ones around the world, an immersive exhibition marking the centenary of a local war memorial and a project celebrating Yorkshire dialects.

The shortlisted nominations will now be considered by an expert panel including Lesley Parr, the award-winning author of children’s historical fiction. Parr will be 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 is again generously sponsoring the Awards.

The winners will be announced on June 4 at a ceremony during our annual seminar in Warwickshire.

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

Huge congratulations to all the library workers that have made the shortlist for the Libraries Connected Awards 2024. We received a record number of nominations this year so it’s a fantastic achievement to have made it this far. I’m struck by the huge variety of projects and activities on the shortlist, demonstrating the incredible breadth and creativity of the library sector. It’s so important that we recognise these achievements, particularly in such challenging times.

Nick Forster, regional manager at OverDrive, said:

At OverDrive we’re well aware of the difficult circumstances faced by so many library services at the moment, so it’s a privilege to be able to sponsor the Libraries Connected Awards.  It’s imperative to shine a spotlight on some of the exceptionally creative, innovative and impactful work delivered by library staff around the country.

The full shortlist can be viewed here.