The four Gloucestershire libraries shortlisted for the 2022 Vaisey Prize were revealed in the Parliament Room at Gloucester Cathedral on the evening of Thursday 11 August. The event began with an address by Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust. In front of an anxious audience Debbie Thacker, Chair of Judges, then revealed the names of the lucky libraries together with the individuals responsible. Then on Sunday 9 October, at The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, revealing that it was another ‘difficult choice’, Debbie announced Tewkesbury as this year’s winners. There’s more about all the finalists below:
Tewkesbury: Building Literacy Confidence at Queen Margaret School (Team Manager, Anne Careless). The library has established a very promising partnership with Queen Margaret School, one instigated by Dale Wootton, the Deputy Headteacher. With the intention of creating and sustaining a reading culture and a buzz around books, Pop-up sessions have been happening across the school, as well as visits to the library. Children without previous access now have library cards and use them. They are familiar with the library team and the building, knowing it to be a safe space. These are new readers whose families are also engaging as a result of the project. Judges were inspired by the thinking behind this initiative as well as by the impressive organization of the partnership to bring it to fruition. Not least by removing obstacles, this project has has given children the opportunity to experience the benefits that reading for pleasure offers. As one judge commented: ‘this will have a life-long positive impact on the children at whom it is targeted, particularly those who are not habitual library users.’
Fairford: Reading Bingo at Fairford library (Claire Richardson). This project provides an engaging framework for children to come into the library and, with the enthusiastic guidance of library staff, use Bingo sheets to explore the variety of books available. One of the judges said: ‘what impressed me most about this project was the feedback that suggested that it is helping children to take ownership over their own reading – something that’s absolutely vital in encouraging that essential reading-for-pleasure habit.’ The potential to expand to other libraries also impressed the judges.
Longlevens, Prestbury, and Quedgeley (others too). World Book Day – Sorted! (Laura Clarke). This combined effort addresses both sustainability and the annual challenge of finding a suitable costume for World Book Day. By providing costumes that can be swapped, and making the connections between the costumes and books available in the library, the project encourages new users into the library and is building stronger links with local schools and nurseries. It’s already expanding to include Christmas jumpers, Halloween costumes and Prom outfits, and they are also doing sewing sessions in the library. Judges were extremely happy to see an effort being made to reconnect the dressing-up element of World Book Day with its original purpose – to celebrate reading.
Nailsworth: Climate Corner (Lucy Yarham and Fiona Parker). Started in 2019, this project was interrupted by Covid and is a collaboration between the library and Nailsworth Climate Action Network. Dr Richard Erskine, a local expert, and Education lead for the Network, provides a resource in the library one morning per month for members of the public to get information and to ask questions. There are informative displays and a special shelf for his book recommendations, leading to increased borrowing. Schools have taken children to the library for group sessions; one-to-one sessions are also popular. Judges were impressed by the sense of positivity surrounding the project. It offers many different ways to engage actively in solutions to the climate crisis, whether through unearthing facts or considering creative ways to think about nature and our relationship to it.
