School librarian picks up learning professional award


SCHOOL librarian Deena Wren has been named as Scottish Book Trust’s Learning Professional of the Year. The award, sponsored by Browns Books


for Students, is part of the trust’s annual recognition for those having a positive impact on children’s reading and literacy. The charity also makes an Outstand- ing Achievement Award to a writer or illustrator, which this year went to author Theresa Breslin. Deena is librarian at Beeslack Commu-


nity High School in Midlothian and was recognised for her work to support pupils and staff. She has been at the school for a decade and during that time has trans- formed the library into a learning centre that caters for students needs by providing space, access to resources and skills training.


The school library is often used as a teach-


ing space, meaning that Deena is on hand to take part and guide students through research. She is part of the school’s se- nior management team and has guided teaching staff and school activities so that reading is recognised as an important part of the school day. She was nominated by Karen Atherton


who teaches English at the school, who said: “As a librarian, Deena goes above and beyond her role. She inspires a love of reading with her personal knowledge of books and through her amazing ‘Read for the Future’ programme. In addition, Deena has produced and delivered wonderful lit- eracy classes that children remember even years later. The sheer popularity of reading in the school speaks for itself: the library is


Get planning for Health Information Week events


HEALTH Information Week takes place at the start of July, and library and information professionals are being asked to plan their own events. The aim of the week is to highlight the good quality health resources that are available to the pub- lic through different agencies and organisations including dedicated health libraries and public libraries. Libraries Connected’s Universal Offers includes access to health information with the aim of improving patients’ quality of life. This year’s Health Information Week runs from 1


to 7 July and will feature a different theme each day, starting with healthy lifestyles on day one. The rest of the week will look at mental health and patient sto- ries; health and digital literacy; long term conditions and social prescribing; innovations for preventing illness; patient stories; and mindfulnes and relax- ation.


Organisers are hoping that libraries will start plan-


ning now so that they are ready to deliver a programme of events for the week, adding: “If you are a patient information provider, or work in a public library, NHS library, or any other organisation with an interest in high-quality health information for patients, you can start planning now. #HIW2019 is a great opportun ity to work with colleagues in and outside your organi- sation. It’s part of public libraries’ Universal Health Offer, and the Patient and Public Information strand of the NHS Knowledge for Healthcare Framework.” For more details and ideas for this year’s event visit https://bit.ly/2VHlGTd or follow @Healthinfoweek on Twitter.


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packed all the time. Every pupil has been supported by Deena – she’s the beating heart of the school.” Deena and Theresa, who won for her work


in advocating children’s literacy and librar- ies over her 30-year career, were presented with their award at a ceremony in March. Deena said: “I’m so honoured, as a school librarian, to receive this accolade and truly humbled that so many of my colleagues and students had taken the time to put me for- ward. This really means a great deal to me. “I learnt, very young, the power and plea-


sure of reading and it has been my passion ever since. Readers like me know that find- ing the ‘right’ book can change lives and it has been my privilege throughout the years to try to help my young people to discover theirs.”


Storybook Dads given helping hand donation


A CHARITY that encourages pris- oners to maintain relationships with their children through reading has been handed a £1,000 donation from its local library service. Devon-based charity Storybook


Dads was handed the cheque by Libraries Unlimited’s Chief Executive Ciara Eastell and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, David Lockwood, who had raised the money through sponsored runs. Storybook Dads was founded in 2003 by Sharon Berry when she was tutoring at HMP Dartmoor. It is designed to help absent


fathers to stay connected to their children through an everyday activity, by allowing them to record stories and send them home. The scheme is now operating in 100 prisons across the country and Sharon says: “We’ve seen the positive impact this has had on the prisoners themselves, and we know through the feedback that we receive that it’s making a huge dif- ference to the lives of children and young people whose parents are in prison. It gives them a connection, something to talk about and some- thing to share.”


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