Liverpool student wins nationwide library assistant award

A Liverpool student has picked up a coveted accolade at the Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Awards in London.

Victoria Langford from St Hilda’s CE High School was selected as the overall winner for helping to create “a lively and effective library” at the school.

Victoria was one of five students shortlisted across the UK and fought off competition from school librarians in Belfast, Cambridgeshire, London and Hampshire.

Open to pupils who assist in school libraries across the UK, the award is a joint venture between the School Library Association and the CILIP School Libraries Group.

It recognises the impact of pupils’ work on their school and its library and equally the value of the experience to the children’s lives. Entries are judged by a panel of leading figures from the children’s book world and school library community.

School librarian Jacqueline Hale with winner Victoria Langford

A special awards ceremony took place on Friday 17 March at Portcullis House, Westminster, where school librarians, representatives from literacy organisations and publishers joined best-selling author Cathy Cassidy to announce the winner.

Jacqueline Hale, St Hilda’s school librarian says: “We had a wonderful afternoon, surrounded by authors, publishers and lots of people who love reading. The day was topped off with the fact that my nominated pupil, Victoria Langford, was chosen as the overall winner.

“We are so very proud of her achievement. She fought off competition from all over the United Kingdom to be chosen as the winner and it was truly deserved.

Caroline Roche, Chair of the CILIP School Libraries Group, adds: “The work that pupil librarians do is invaluable in their schools. Many school librarians are lone workers and therefore rely heavily on assistance from pupil librarians during busy periods.

“But, more than that, many of these pupils enrich their libraries: recommending books, talking to their peers, creating newsletters, contributing to blogs, helping create displays – all the extras which can make a library vibrant and interesting. All of this enriches not only the library, but adds to their personal development.