CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
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Tel: 020 7255 0500
Textphone: 020 7255 0505
Fax: 020 7255 0501
News from CILIP
23 April 2008
For release at 15.00 on 23 April 2008 (Please copy to online discussion lists)
Winner of the 2008 CILIP/LiS Libraries Change Lives Award Announced
A project based in Bradford providing courses to enable adults with learning disabilities to make use of mainstream services has won the 2008 CILIP/LiS Libraries Change Lives Award. The winner will be announced by Phil Beadle on 23 April 2008 at the Library + information Show (LiS), Hall 11, NEC, Birmingham.
The Bradford Care Trust / Libraries Partnership Project aimed to integrate services users with learning disabilities into the community using the Central Library as a focus for a range of activities. Rooms in the library were adapted for use by the Care Trust, one as a classroom and one as “Changing Places,” changing and feeding facility for people with severe disabilities (the only one in the city centre). This work was also supported by the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board and Bradford Council’s DDA fund Service users also make extensive use of the library “Learning Zone” and café area where they socialise with other library users. Regular visits have ensured that they feel comfortable and have gradually improved their IT skills enabling them to access e-government services and more importantly to be more fully integrated into the community.
In September 2007 the partnership began a ground breaking course for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. This group are frequently excluded from educational opportunities due to their physical needs. Both learners and support workers were delighted with the course and the support which they have received from library staff
Jane Glaister, Strategic Director of Culture, Tourism & Sport comments on winning this year’s award:
“This project has been a wonderfully positive experience for everyone concerned – a real ‘win-win’ for the partner organisations, the service users, library staff and customers. We often take access to library services for granted and it has been very moving for all of us to see the joy of the students as they discover the world of books, reading and adult learning opportunities – some for the first time in their lives.”
Linda Constable, Chair of the judges comments on this year’s award:
"The Libraries Change Lives Award highlights excellent practice by libraries who work in partnership in tackling social exclusion issues on the front line. The panel of judges felt that this project showed how libraries could change the lives of people with learning disabilities and the benefits of working in partnership with health care providers.
We found that the project challenged prejudices and perceptions and highlighted the huge impact that coming to the library and participating in everyday social and learning activities can have on this inspiring group of library customers. We are delighted that it has been recognised."
This is the 17th year of the national award that recognises innovative and exciting work in libraries and their communities. The award was established in 1992 to acknowledge and reward libraries and information services working with disadvantaged groups to combat inequality, including the unemployed, homeless, persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities.
Since its inception, the award has had a significant impact on the world of libraries and their local communities across the UK. Previous winners include Bookstart, the Government-backed scheme that was first piloted by Birmingham Libraries and now reaches 3 million babies and their parents across the UK and has been recognised as making a significant difference to literacy and numeracy levels in primary schools. Another scheme, the Big Book Share, winner of the Libraries Change Lives Award in 2002 has been successful in helping fathers in prison to keep contact with their children through reading to them on tapes.
37 library-based projects were entered for the 2008 award. These were shortlisted in January; the winner will be announced at the Library + information Show (LiS) in Birmingham on 23 April. The winning project receives a trophy and £5,000 prize money. The two runners-up both receive a cheque for £2,000. This year’s judges are: Linda Constable (Chair,) Katherine Allen, Event Director for LiS, Carole Wolstenholme and Simon Parker. The award is sponsored by the Library + information Show. The event is organised and administered by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and its Community Service Group.
The Library + information Show (LiS) takes place at the NEC Birmingham on 23-24 April 2007. Now in its 19
th year, it caters for all sectors of the library profession, bringing the library and information world together to share key industry developments, the latest technology, exchange ideas and debate current issues. For more information please visit:
www.lishow.co.uk
Contacts:
Tatti de Jersey
Tel: 01256381741
Mark Taylor at CILIP
Tel: 0207 255 0650
For case studies or to speak to any of the people involved in the projects, please contact: Tatti de Jersey (details above)
Notes to Editors:
1. CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers. It forms a community of around 36,000 people engaged in library and information work, of whom around 21,000 are CILIP members and around 15,000 are regular customers of CILIP Enterprises. For more information about CILIP go to
www.cilip.org.uk
2. Incisive Media: is a B2B information provider specialising in producing highly focused trade exhibitions for the information technology, telecommunications and information industries.
3. Two other shortlisted library projects were:
- Nunny TV: North East Lincolnshire Library Service
- Time2Give: Kent Libraries & Archives
- Ends -
for up todate information about this service.