Guille-Allès librarians win national award
Staff from the Guille-Allès Library have won a prestigious national award for library workers.
The team behind the recent Boundless Curiosity exhibition have claimed top prize in the Culture & Creativity category at the Libraries Connected Awards, which recognise individuals and teams that have had an exceptional impact on their library service and local communities. The five-person team – Adam Bayfield, Jodie Hearn, Chris Jordan, Abi Paine, and Tracey Woosley – were up against fellow professionals from all over the country, including library services in London, Bradford, Barnsley, Solihull, and Manchester. The shortlist was judged by a panel of experts from Arts Council England, The Reading Agency, and BBC Arts.
The Boundless Curiosity exhibition brought to life the story of the Library’s origins and showcased some of the treasures in the collection, including Audubon’s The Birds of America, one of the rarest books in the world. The judges were impressed by both the high quality of the exhibition and the impact it had on the community, with more than 8,500 visitors coming to see it during its run from November 2022 until January 2023.
A member of the team travelled to Bedfordshire on Tuesday to collect the award at the Libraries Connected annual seminar.
Cornelia James, Chief Librarian, said: “I’m incredibly proud that our librarians have been recognised on the national stage. The Libraries Connected Awards are extremely prestigious – they’re seen as the Oscars of the library world. Winning this award is a tremendous achievement, and it’s no less than the team deserve.
“They worked tirelessly to put the exhibition together, curating the exhibits, writing a high-quality narrative, and ensuring it would be accessible to the whole community with a special children’s trail, a programme of school visits, and a series of events in care homes. And they had the inspired idea to turn the page of The Birds of America once a week, encouraging repeat visitors.
“Alongside this core team of five, every member of Library staff had a part to play in making the exhibition a success. We also had great support from our Board and Trustees, from our fantastic sponsors BDO, and from our friends and colleagues at Guernsey Museums, Art for Guernsey, and the Priaulx Library. I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everybody who helped make the exhibition possible.”
Boundless Curiosity is still available to explore as a virtual tour on the Library website.
About Libraries Connected
Libraries Connected is an independent charity that supports, promotes, and represents all public library services in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies. They believe in the power of libraries to change lives. Their work builds on 20 years’ experience as the Society of Chief Librarians, and today their audience extends beyond heads of public library services to all library workers in the public sector.
About Boundless Curiosity
Boundless Curiosity was an exhibition celebrating the Guille-Allès Library’s 140th anniversary. The Library opened its doors for the first time in 1882.
The exhibition told the story of the Library’s founding, and the two men who made it happen, Thomas Guille and Frederick Allès. Childhood friends who left Guernsey aged just 14 to seek their fortune in America, they became successful in business, and for decades shared a dream to one day return home and start a library.
Boundless Curiosity ran from 4 November 2022 – 21 January 2023 and welcomed more than 8,500 visitors.