Two exceptional students were awarded the prestigious UK Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award at a ceremony in London yesterday. The event, organised by the School Library Association (SLA) and the CILIP School Libraries Group (SLG), saw 11 finalists from primary and secondary schools across the UK in attendance, along with their school librarians and families. The event was hosted by comedian and author Russell Kane, with support from Authors Aloud UK and Pearson.
Darcie Farrell, a Year 5 student from Rotherfield Primary School in London, was named the primary school winner. The judges were impressed by her impact on the reading culture within her school and how her role as a pupil library assistant has helped her personal growth and self-confidence.
The secondary school award went to Micah Ashford, a Year 9 student from Oaks Park High School in London. The judges praised Micah’s kind and empathetic approach, which reflects the inclusive culture of his school library. His dedication to the library and advocacy for its value has led to greater recognition within the school community.
Guest speaker Russell Kane spoke about the importance of school libraries and the positive impact they had on his own childhood. He emphasized the need for school libraries to guide young people back to books instead of relying on social media for information and entertainment.
Darcie Farrell from Rotherfield Primary School expressed her happiness and pride at winning the award, saying, “I enjoy working in the library because we get to spend time with little kids helping them to read.” Micah Ashford from Oaks Park High School also shared his excitement, saying, “I love working in the library because it allows me to access lots of knowledge and books, to meet new people and to connect with them.”
CEO of the SLA Victoria Dilly highlighted the important role school libraries play in developing life skills, supporting well-being, and promoting reading for pleasure. She also expressed concern over the fact that one in ten schools in the UK do not have a library.
Chair of the PLAA Judging Panel Barbara Band praised the dedication of the student nominees, saying, “These dedicated young people are truly inspiring, it is a joy to hear about their contributions and passion for their school libraries.” Caroline Roche, Chair at CILIP SLG, also emphasized the value of pupil library assistants and their librarians in school communities.
Chantel Carpenter, Director of Marketing at Pearson, congratulated the winners and all the students who were nominated, saying, “You should be extremely proud of what you have achieved.” Annie Everall, Director of Authors Aloud UK, echoed her sentiments, praising the invaluable work that pupil library assistants and librarians do in promoting reading for pleasure and supporting their fellow students.
Last year’s winner, Kotryna Kazlauskaite from St Hilda’s Church of England High School in Liverpool, gave a speech about the positive impact winning the award had for her. There was also a special performance by the Sutherland Singers of Ibstock Place School. All attendees were gifted a bag of books and had the opportunity to meet and have their books signed by the many authors in attendance.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.