School Librarian of the Year announced

The School Library Association is has announced that Lucas Maxwell of Glenthorne High School, London Borough of Sutton, has been awarded the honour of the School Librarian of the Year 2017.

Award-winning illustrator and author Chris Riddell presented Lucas with the award at a special ceremony at The Hive, Worcester, on 9 October. The two other school librarians honoured for their work are: Mairead Duggan of Mount Carmel School in Dublin Shelagh Toonen of Elgin Academy in Moray, Scotland. From bringing books to life in highly imaginative and engaging ways, to generous and bold outreach work with their respective communities, via substantial and meaningful support for staff as well as pupils, Lucas Maxwell and each librarian on the Honour list have made a huge difference to the lives of all they work with, igniting a passion for reading. Tricia Adams, director of the SLA, said: "Lucas is a worthy winner and shows that school libraries are successful champions of both books and technology. His library is obviously fun to be in and his 'Poem in my Pocket' initiative and 'Open Mic' nights make the library a much loved centre in his school."