Our talented Librarian is highly commended at the SLA award ceremony

 

The Honour List and Award Winner for The 2008 School Librarian of the Year was announced at the Award Ceremony held in London on Wednesday 7 May 2008 and Shona Phillips, our school Librarian was highly commended.

 

This was the first year that the work of a school librarian in a specialist school has been celebrated.  Shona Phillips, school librarian at The Royal Blind School (RBS), Edinburgh, was placed on the honour list for the outstanding work she has achieved at the school.  Shona qualified as a librarian 9 years ago and has worked at RBS ever since. When Shona joined the school the library resided in a cramped room and she was involved in planning the move to a purpose built area and creating a library service that takes into account the diverse needs of the school community.

 

‘This award is really well known in the industry and I was really proud to have been chosen by the SLA for their Honours List,’ said Shona. "It was an honour to be highly commended and I enjoyed going down to London for the Award Ceremony.’

 

Commenting on the awards Eileen Armstrong, Chair of the School Library Association (SLA) said: ‘The SLA School Librarian of the Year Award was the brainchild of former SLA President Aidan Chambers. The Award, created in 2004, aims to recognise the excellent work that is carried  out in our school libraries every day; helping students learn how to learn,  enthusing children and young people about books and reading and raising achievement. It highlights and spreads best practice and innovation through celebrating those whose work is outstanding.’

 

Six schools achieved placement on the Honours List and what they all have in common is an enthusiastic, creative and talented librarian to help students and staff (and sometimes the parents too) find what they need so that they can enjoy and get more out of the learning experience whilst also encouraging a passion for reading.