Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Service was recognised as Library of the Year on 14 May in the Bookseller Industry Awards.
Council Chief Executive Susan Bruce was quick to welcome this ‘tremendous honour’ and praised the ‘incredible support … passion and commitment of staff’.
Judges had sought innovations which increased use of libraries by the public, and which improved the public experience of libraries, both in terms of the library itself and author visits, reading schemes, children’s events, homework clubs or other outreach services. They also wanted ‘superb all-round service’.
In the end, Edinburgh’s ‘range of services for hard-to-reach readers, cutting-edge website and app and engaging social media activity’ were what decided it. See for example http://talesofonecity.wordpress.com/.
Curiously omitted criteria were effective shushing, looks that kill and rigorous imposition of swingeing fines: all of which, right-thinking people know, are the cornerstones of civilisation.