Aith librarian in honours list

A WOMAN from Aith Junior High School has been given a runner-up prize at this year’s School Librarian of the Year Awards.

Jane Spall was one of two librarians recognised in the ‘honour list’ section of the awards, which took place at the Royal Society of Arts in London on Monday.

The Shetlander and Chris Routh from Reading’s Leighton Park School were beaten to the overall School Librarian of the Year prize by Annie Brady from St Paul’s in Dublin.

Spall went through a shortlist process before being assessed by the School Library Association, with pupils from the Aith Junior High making a tribute video that was shown at the ceremony.

The librarian, who won hundreds of pounds worth of free books from publishers and event sponsors Macmillan Children’s Books for her school, said that she has had “amazing support” from the local community and colleagues.

“I just come in each day and do my job and it is great to have my work recognised at such a prestigious level,” she added.

“The awards ceremony was really interesting and I made great friends with the author Kevin Crossley-Holland, who is president of the School Library Association. I hope I can persuade him to visit Shetland now!”