School Library Association Announces 20th Annual Awards Honorees
London, UK – The School Library Association (SLA) revealed the recipients of its highly coveted awards, including the Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award, the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award, and the Enterprise of the Year Award. This year’s honorees were announced on Monday, July 14, 2025.
The SLA, which recognizes excellence in the field, is commemorating 20 years of honoring outstanding individuals in the field of school librarianship through its flagship School Librarian of the Year Award. This award, proposed by late author and educator Aidan Chambers during his tenure as President of the SLA, has become a prestigious recognition for secondary school library staff. Reflecting on the establishment of the award in 2005, Chambers stated, “I was determined as President to do all I could to raise the status of school librarians. That’s why, with the help of the SLA Committee, we established the School Librarian of the Year Award, which I am glad to see continues to be given every year.”
Sponsored by Browns Books, this year’s Secondary School Librarian of the Year Award recognizes three dedicated librarians who have implemented innovative strategies to foster a reading culture within their schools. The finalists, Gareth Evans from Abbeyfield School in Chippenham (Wiltshire), Jill Fenton from Cheney School in Headington (Oxfordshire), and Julie Broadbent from Northampton International Academy in Northampton, have all demonstrated excellence in areas such as curriculum support, collaborative working, and creating student-centered programs to promote a love for books and reading beyond the library.
Clare Smith, Sales Director at Browns Books, expressed her congratulations to the finalists, stating, “A huge congratulations to the exceptional finalists of the School Librarian of the Year Award! Browns Books is incredibly proud to sponsor this inspiring award, which celebrates the outstanding dedication of school librarians who empower students through literacy, learning, and a love of reading in their schools and communities.”
The Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award, sponsored by Usborne, recognizes a team effort in ensuring that the school library positively impacts all students in a primary school. The shortlist of three primary school libraries from Birmingham, Bristol, and Northampton showcases how dedicated librarians, strong leadership support, and community involvement can transform a library space into a vibrant hub that promotes a reading culture and engages students.
“We are delighted to sponsor the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award, a continuation of founder Peter Usborne’s lifetime commitment to supporting literacy,” stated Nicola Usborne, Managing Director of Usborne.
The Enterprise of the Year Award, sponsored by Reading Cloud, acknowledges one-off or progressive projects that contribute to promoting reading and literacy in schools. This year’s shortlist features three innovative projects that highlight the importance of community engagement and creative approaches to library development.
Ricky Nelson, Head of Customer Engagement at Reading Cloud, commended the finalists, saying, “It’s great to see the incredible work the finalists are doing to raise the profile of reading within their schools. We congratulate each shortlisted entry for their hard work and dedication to making reading a priority across their whole school.”
Victoria Dilly, CEO of the SLA, emphasized the significance of the awards in showcasing the vital role of school libraries and their impact on children and young people’s personal, social, and educational development. “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,” Dilly stated.
The award ceremony for the 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 Thursday, November 6, 2025. The event will showcase the winners’ achievements and also feature an exclusive viewing of the Secret Maps exhibition, which explores the relationship between mapping and secrecy from the 14th to the 21st centuries.
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 implemented a structured approach to encourage reading for pleasure and research skills, equipping the library with the necessary resources to meet the needs of students and staff.
– Julie Broadbent has worked collaboratively with the local Public Library and the University of Northampton to maximize reading for pleasure and study skills opportunities for a large number of students across primary and secondary phases.
– Gareth Evans has successfully built a strong and dynamic library program at Abbeyfield School over the past eight years. He has created a curated curriculum
