Background information on the 2007 Competition
The closing date (30th April 2007) for entries to the Public Library Building Awards 2007 has now passed and the awards were announced at the PLA Conference in October 2007. See award winners.
Below is background information including the longlist of libraries announced at Umbrella in June 2007.
The Public Libraries Group (PLG) of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and An Chomhairle Leabharlanna (The Library Council) launched the Public Library Building Awards in 1995.
The awards are recognised throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland as indicators of professional library development and as benchmarks for public library facilities, reflecting the major changes in library provision in the 21st century.
The awards are jointly sponsored by CILIP, PLG and An Chomhairle Leabharlanna.
The categories of the individual awards focus on areas of key importance in building design, practice, management and use. In 2007 the categories were:
- Architecture Meets Practicality
- Heart of the Community
- Interior Design
- Partnership
The 2007 Building Awards recognised achievement from 1 January 2005 – 31 March 2007.
- 33 libraries entered the awards
- 16 libraries were longlisted.
- 8 libraries were shortlisted. These libraries are included in longlist shown below.
The 16 libraries longlisted (and in no particular order) are:
- Felixstowe Library, Felixstowe - Suffolk County Council
- Johnston Central Library and Farnham Centre, Cavan – Cavan Co Council
- Prestonpans Library – East Lothian - East Lothian Library Services
- The Mitchell Library, Glasgow – Glasgow City Council
- Handsworth Library, Birmingham – Birmingham City Council
- North City Library, Harpurhey - Manchester City Council
- Tory Top Library, Cork – Cork City Libraries
- East City Library, Openshaw – Manchester City Council
- Bishopstown Library, Cork – Cork City Council
- The Hook Library and The Hook Centre, Kingston upon Thames – Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
- Lewes Library and Information Centre, Lewes – East Sussex County Council
- Library at the Bridge, Glasgow – Glasgow City Council
- Thurles Library, Thurles – County Tipperary Joint Libraries Committee
- Kilburn Library Centre, London – London Borough of Camden
- County Library Barry, Vale of Glamorgan – Vale of Glamorgan Council
- Sighthill Library, Edinburgh – Edinburgh City Library and Information Services
Delegates Choice!
- The Delegates Choice award went to the library receiving the most votes from delegates attending the PLA Conference and electronic votes from members of the group via the group’s web site.
Winners Announced!
PLA Conference October 2007 - the winning library for each category was announced at PLA.