“National Library Awards Ceremony Recognizes Student Victors with Host Russell Kane”

London, UK – In a prestigious Awards ceremony held yesterday in London, the winners of the UK Pupil Library Assistant of the Year were announced. The event, held by the School Library Association (SLA) and the CILIP School Libraries Group (SLG), was attended by 11 finalists, their families, and their respective school librarians. Comedian and author Russell Kane had the honor of presenting the awards.

The UK Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award, now in its 12th year, is supported by Authors Aloud UK and Pearson. Its purpose is to recognize the outstanding contributions made by pupils who volunteer in their school libraries. This year’s winners were Darcie Farrell from Rotherfield Primary School and Micah Ashford from Oaks Park High School, both located in London.

The judges were impressed with Darcie Farrell’s impact on the reading culture within her school and how being a pupil library assistant has helped her develop personal skills and self-confidence. Similarly, they praised Micah Ashford’s kind and empathetic approach, which reflects his school library’s inclusive culture. They also noted his advocacy for the library within the entire school community, resulting in a greater recognition of its value and benefits.

In his speech as the event’s guest speaker, Russell Kane emphasized the importance of school libraries in unlocking opportunities for children and supporting their overall well-being. He also spoke about the dangers of social media and the need for school libraries to guide young people back to books as a way of understanding and exploring the world. “Having a haven at school that gives you the chance to fall in love with reading can’t be taken for granted,” he said, “so we all need to champion school libraries and the superstars that work in them.”

Darcie Farrell, the primary school winner, expressed her happiness and pride in receiving the award. She also shared her joy in working in the library and being able to help younger children with their reading. Micah Ashford, the secondary school winner, also expressed his excitement in being nominated and his love for the library as a space to meet new people and learn new things.

The ceremony also included a speech from last year’s winner, Kotryna Kazlauskaite, who talked about the positive impact winning the award had on her. There was also a performance from the Sutherland Singers of Ibstock Place School. After the ceremony, all pupils and their accompanying family members were gifted a bag of books and treated to a book signing with the many authors attending.

Victoria Dilly, CEO at the SLA, emphasized the importance of school libraries in building an inclusive and engaging reading community for all pupils. “With children’s reading for pleasure at an all-time low,” she said, “the role of the school library has never been more important in helping more children to discover the joy of reading.”

Barbara Band, Chair of the PLAA Judging Panel, also highlighted the valuable skills and confidence that pupils gain through their work in school libraries. “These dedicated young people are truly inspiring,” she said, “and it is a joy to hear about their contributions and passion for their school libraries.”

Caroline Roche, Chair at CILIP SLG, added her support for the award and congratulated all the nominees and their librarians. “Well done to everyone nominated,” she said, “and their librarians as well.”

Chantel Carpenter, Director of Marketing at Pearson, expressed her delight in hosting the awards and recognizing the role of libraries in unlocking knowledge, nurturing empathy, and valuing diverse voices. She also congratulated the winners for their passion and commitment to their school library.

Annie Everall, Director of Authors Aloud UK, also praised the pupil library assistants and their librarians, saying they are often the unsung heroes in schools. “The work these young people do is invaluable,” she said, “and the impact this has on their own personal development and confidence is immeasurable.”

The event was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ and featured a performance from the Sutherland Singers of Ibstock Place School, a speech from last year’s winner, and a book signing with the many attending authors.