Tag Archives: Public Library of the Year Award

Winning the Public Library of the Year Award is great promotion for your library

What impact does winning the Public Library of the Year Award have?

In 2018 our Public Library, School 7 in Den Helder, the Netherlands, was awarded Public Library of the Year 2018 during the IFLA congress in Kuala Lumpur. As a proud director, I received the Award. We were overwhelmed; we did not think we would win it. We had to compete against large libraries from Singapore, Brazil and the US. What would be the deciding factor for the jury? We had no idea. But we decided to turn it into an adventure and, regardless of the outcome, enjoy the moment when we could present ourselves to an international audience. Great to show School 7 to colleagues from all over the world. When the chairman of the jury delivered the outcome, we could hardly comprehend that School 7 had really won the Public Library Award 2018!

School 7 stayed in the spotlight, to this day visitors from home and abroad come to Den Helder because they have heard about the prize. The library agenda is still full of tours. We have since welcomed colleagues from South Korea, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Saba, Estonia and France. The guestbook is full of beautiful compliments and enthusiastic responses. From “ordinary” visitors, but also from the minister and from Prince Carnival, who came to celebrate School 7 with his entourage.

These visits also provided something for the city. People go for lunch or coffee. They might also spend the night in Den Helder. With this Award we have put the city on the map. The library as city marketing, how beautiful is that?

The Public Library of the Year Award is a prize that opens doors. For example, I was invited by King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima to have lunch at Noordeinde Palace, along with a few other Dutch people who have delivered an exceptional performance. And I was also invited by the king and queen to the traditional New Year’s meeting in the palace in Amsterdam.

Suddenly magazines and other media include School 7 in their content. For example, we were part of a documentary series on national television, I was interviewed several times by foreign magazines and School 7 serves as a location for photo shoots and film recordings for other parties.

Winning such an important prize also ensures reinforcement in society. We notice that the inhabitants of the city and the politicians are proud of us. When the councilor suggested a few months ago to involve the library in the municipal spending cuts, this was rejected by the nearly full city council. “It is simply unthinkable for you to receive international guests and we will cut your budget!” Said the party leader of the largest political party.

At the construction site opposite School 7 the contractor has attached a long canvas to the scaffolding around the new building. It says: “Our library is the best in the world!” This reflects the pride of the population at the library. And that pride has been cashed in by the Award.

Text and photos Jacinta Krimp, director School 7 (translation by Sander van Kempen, member of SCPL)

The Public Libray of the year award launched on 2018, March 1st !

Awarded by the IFLA and the IT company Systematic which sponsors it, this award is presented to the best new public library anywhere in the world in terms of focus on community needs, local culture and digital development.

The award goes to a public library that is either newly built or set up in premises that have not previously been used for libraries. To be considered for the award, the library must have been completed in the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017.

The IFLA Public Libraries Section has been part of this award form the very beginning in 2014 in cooperation with the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces (Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen).

The previous winners have been

Public Library of the Year 2016: Dokk1, Denmark
Public Library of the Year 2015: Kista Public Library, Sweden
Public Library of the Year 2014: Craigieburn Library, Australia

After a short break, the award is back on the libray field, still sponsored by Systematic.

Jan Richards, chair of the IFLA-PLsection:

“The IFLA Public Libraries Section is delighted to be part of this award, which celebrate excellence in library planning and design. Public libraries are an essential part of a strong community, and being able to acknowledge and share best practice examples helps us ensure that we create great environments for our citizens,”

The award is accompanied by a prize of USD 5,000 that goes directly to the winning library, which will be selected by an international professional jury on the basis of an overall assessment of the libraries entered for consideration.

The winner of the “Public Library of the Year” award for 2018 will be announced at the end of August during the 2018 IFLA Annual Meeting, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Applications for consideration for the 2018 Public Library of the year award will be open from March 1^st to May 15^th.

https://systematic.com/library-learning/awards/public-library-of-the-year/

Systematic Public Library of the Year 2016

Winner of the 2015 Award, Krista Public Library in Stockholm

The Danish Agency for Culture has announced the Systematic Public Library of the Year Award 2016. The winner will be presented at the IFLA annual Congress in Columbus, US in August 2016.

The award for best public library in the world 2016 will again this year be given to a library that is either newly build or located in a building that has not previously been used as a library. The award is presented in collaboration with the firm Systematic and with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Public Libraries Section. The prize is $US 5,000.

Libraries nominated for the prize will be evaluated on how they incorporate digital development and local culture of the surrounding community in the library space. The architectural expression of the library must be open and functional, to the point where it is well balanced with the surroundings, as well as supporting creative and innovative experiences for the library users. The library must also have incorporated sustainability into the building.

The criteria can be viewed in further detail on the webpage of the Model Programme for Public Libraries, and this is also the place to apply. Closing date is June 1^st 2016

Is Yours the World’s Best Public Library?

The hunt is once again on to discover the world’s best public library. In 2015, the Danish Agency for Culture will again have the honour of presenting the Systematic Public Library of the Year Award sponsored by Systematic with prize$US 5,000. Applications close on 15 June 2015.

The prize will be awarded to a library that has been newly constructed or designed for a building that has not previously been used as a library during the period 1 January 2013 through 15 June 2015, and which meets the criteria for the Model Programme for Public Libraries.

The library must take into consideration digital developments and local culture. It must welcome a diversity of population groups with an open and functional architectural expression in balance with its surroundings and a creative use of IT to improve user experiences.

The Award will be presented at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Cape Town, South Africa on 16 August in cooperation with the IFLA´s Public Libraries Section.

The winner of the 2014 Public Library of the Year

The prize was first awarded in 2014 by the Danish Agency for Culture in partnership with architectural firm schmidt hammer lassen and won by Craigieburn Library, Hume City, Victoria, Australia.

Public Library of the Year Award

A new award with the name ‘schmidt hammer lassen architects – Public Library of the Year Award’ is awarded by the Model Programme for Public Libraries with the architectural firm schmidt hammer lassen architects as sponsors. This Award is open to public libraries worldwide.

The award is DKK 25,000, which will be given to the winning municipality and presented for the first time in August 2014 in connection with the annual conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Lyon, France.

The library must have been completed during the period during the period 1 January 2012 through 15 June 2014. The definition of a new library in this connection is a library that has been newly built from scratch, or a library that has been set up in premises that have not previously existed as a library.

Nominations must be submitted before 12.00 pm CEST (midnight) on 3rd of august 2014.

Any questions may be directed at Danish Agency for Culture: Chief Adviser Jonna Holmgaard Larsen [email protected]

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