Gladstone’s Library announces writers in residence


THE 2022 Writers in Residence


at Gladstone’s Library have been announced as the initiative enters its tenth year. The scheme at the residential library in Hawarden is now in its tenth year and has hosted nearly a hundred writers in resi- dence. This year’s winners were chosen after submitting their recently published books to the scheme and writing a short essay on the subject of liberal values. The winners are Irish writer Caoilinn Hughes, author of novels The Wild Laugh- ter and Orchid & The Wasp; Glen James Brown, from County Durham, who’s novel Ironopolis explores working class life in a Middlesbrough council estate; Sarah Watling, a Cambridge University Gradu- ate and author of the non-fiction, Noble Savages: Discovering the Olivier Sisters, which reveals the hidden histories of four fascinating women; Rebecca Watts, a poet who penned Red Gloves while working for a library in Cambridge, and Guy Stagg, who grew up in London and Yorkshire and whose pilgrimage from Canterbury to Jerusalem is related in The Crossways.


The 2022 judging panel was Freddie Baveystock, Trustee of Gladstone’s Lib rary, Charlotte Higgins journalist and non-fiction author, Jonathan Edwards award-winning poet, and Cal Flyn, writer, reporter, and editor. Peter Francis, Director and Warden of the library, said: “It has become a very competitive scheme, which ensures that we have a very high-quality group of writers. “There are always four writers, but the standard was so high that this year we


have selected five authors. We are hoping for an uninterrupted programme in 2022, and despite the pandemic almost all our 2019 writers have been able to undertake their residencies, and we hope to accom- modate all of them by the end of 2022, which will make for a packed calendar of literary events at the library.” Each Writer in Residence will offer a talk or masterclass, many of which can be attended remotely. l www.gladstoneslibrary.org


Library figures recognised for their contribution in New Year Honours list


THE New Year Honours list for 2022 includes 17 figures connected to the sector and recognises the efforts of library teams to serve their commu- nities. In many cases the awards also recognised actions taken under the stresses and strains imposed by the pandemic.


British Empire Medals for services to public libraries. These went to: Zoinul Abidin, Head of Universal Services,


London Borough of Barking and Dagenham – for being instrumental in bringing together 19 services and over 630 staff. Nick Partridge, Head of Libraries, Sheffield City Council – for supporting community managed libraries. Krystal Vittles, Head of Service Delivery,


Suffolk Libraries – for exploring alternative delivery models. Similarly for Fiona Williams, Chief Execu-


tive Officer, York Explore, who led the move to a public sector mutual. Andy Wright, Library Development Man- ager, Kirklees Libraries – for aligning


January-February 2022


public libraries with the health agenda. Lesley Davies, Senior Development Man-


ager, Communities, Sefton Library Service – for co-ordinating library volunteers. William Johnston, Branch Manager, Omagh, Libraries NI. Darren Smart, Strategic Manager (Oper-


a tions) Libraries, Registrars and Archives, Kent County Council for work on the dig- ital future of public libraries and more systematic impact measurement. Dave Rowe, founder, Libraries Hacked, a driving force behind the development of library sector open data. Don Martin, Local Studies Librarian (Retired), East Dunbartonshire Libraries – for services to libraries and heritage in Scotland.


Stewart Parsons, Director, Get it Loud in


Libraries – for developing Get it Loud in Libraries (GILIL) from a small project at Lancaster library. Hanina Simon, Manager, Redbridge Schools Library Service – for services to education in the London Borough of Redbridge.


Other awards were


Member of the order of the British Empire (MBE) went to: Karen Napier, Chief Executive Officer of The Reading Agency – for her role in pro- moting the power of reading, and the vital role public libraries play in developing this. David Smith, Chair, Community Man- aged Libraries Network – for his role in the foundation of the Community Managed Libraries National Peer Network. Robert Perks, Lead Curator, Oral History and Director of National Life Stories, Brit- ish Library – for leading the programme to archive the national experience of Covid-19. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE):


Ann Cleeves, Author, for services to read- ing and libraries including reader-in-resi- dence – for three library authorities. Louise Smith, Deputy Director for Arts and Libraries at DCMS – for her work to support cultural organisations.


INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 11


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