PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING AWARDS 2009 ANNOUNCED
Friday 09/10/2009
While Librarians and architects design public library spaces, it is the general public that will shape their usage into the 21st century. This is the view of the judging panels of the Public Library Building Awards, 2009.
Popular author Gervase Phinn announced the Public Library Building Awards UK and Republic of Ireland 2009 at an award ceremony during the Public Library Authorities Conference held in Bristol tonight (October 7th, 2009).
Irish libraries have a great record of success in the Awards and previous winners include Cavan County Council’s Johnson Centre Library and Cootehill Library (2007 and 2003); Waterford City’s Lady Lane and Ardkeen (2005 and 2003), and Donegal County Council’s Buncrana (2001). Irish libraries which were highly commended in previous years include Macroom, Milford, Thurles, and Tubbercurry.
The competing libraries showcase the shaping and sharing of services with a strong focus on relevant service delivery in the economic downturn. The judges were impressed by the shared services, the imaginative use of technology and the range of services on offer and in use.
A presentation on the building awards which was used at the CILIP PLA conference on 7th October can be downloaded here.
The winners of the Building awards are as follows:
Architecture Meets Practicality
Winner: Winchester Discovery Centre – Hampshire County Council
Highly Commended: Bangor Carnegie Library – Libraries NI
Commended (1): High Heaton Community Library – Newcastle City Council
Commended (2): Ramsgate Library – Kent County Council
Innovation
Winner: Newcastle City Library – Newcastle City Council
Highly Commended: High Wycombe Library – Buckinghamshire County Co.
Commended (1): Downham Library – London Borough of Lewisham
Commended (2): High Street Library – Bolton Council
Partnership
Winner: Pollok Library and Learning Centre – Culture and Sport Glasgow on behalf of Glasgow City Council
Highly Commended: Ivybridge Library – Devon County Council
The Mary Finch Accessibility Award
Winner: Newcastle City Library
Delegates’ Choice Award
Winner: Newcastle City Library
For more information on the awards, including photographs and short video clips of the libraries, visit www.cilip.org.uk/plg/awards