Last week we hosted an inspiring webinar celebrating two decades of the School Librarian of the Year Award, bringing together past winners, current nominees, and industry experts to reflect on the evolution of school libraries and share insights into excellent practice.
The brilliant panel included current School Librarian of the Year Heather Grainger; Gareth Evans and Jill Fenton from this year's Honours List; past winners Amy McKay (2016) and Kristabelle Williams (2021); Claire Smith from Browns Books, our 2025 sponsor; and Jayne Finley, Lecturer in Librarianship at the University of Sheffield.
Several powerful themes emerged from the discussion, which focused on what makes school libraries thrive and how school librarians can recognise the impact they have on a daily basis:
Collaboration and the Power of Relationships - Amy McKay emphasised that after 20 years in the profession, relationships remain at the heart of effective school librarianship. "This is a job that's about relationships with your students, mostly, but also school staff, parents, governors, and the larger community," she explained. The importance of knowing students as individuals and creating safe spaces was echoed by all panelists.
Agility and openness to change - The panel reflected on significant shifts in school libraries over the past two decades, from the impact of austerity and COVID-19 to the digital revolution and changing reading habits. Current Secondary School Librarian of the Year, Heather Grainger noted that constant adaptation has been a defining feature of her 12-year career, and the discussion acknowledged how the pandemic underscored the vital nature of school librarians' work.
Reading Trends and Student Engagement - Claire Smith from Browns Books offered an interesting insight to major publishing trends, including the explosion in popularity of manga and graphic novels, the impact of social media platforms like TikTok on boys' reading, and the continuing popularity of series linked to Netflix adaptations.
The Impact of Recognition - It was really uplifting to hear how the award process itself transforms practice. Heather Grainger described it as 'phenomenally positive', explaining that the reflection required during the application process made her appreciate everything she'd accomplished, while Kristabelle Williams shared how the formalised feedback process helped her to combat impostor syndrome, encouraging all librarians to regularly update their CVs with new achievements and to engage with professional networks. We loved Kristabelle's description of the SLA Conference as 'the most affirming, supportive place'!
As the webinar drew to a close, we looked to the future. Jayne Finley shared her exciting ambition to analyse 20 years of School Librarian of the Year award applications to identify the conditions that enable excellent practice. This strengths-based research approach aims not just to demonstrate the value of school libraries, but to provide practical insights into how to implement and sustain successful school libraries, that make a real impact on the children and young people they support.
The insights shared during the event demonstrated the incredible dedication, innovation, and impact of school librarians across the country and we hope to celebrate them for many more years to come! You can watch the full webinar now.
The 2025 School Librarian of the Year will be announced at a ceremony in London on 6th November 2025.