Friday October 23rd 2026
Midlothian Council leader Kelly Parry at Penicuik Library
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Midlothian Library Service has been shortlisted for a national award recognising its work supporting communities through literacy, digital inclusion and cost-of-living assistance.
The service is among three nominees in the Team of the Year category at the SLIC Awards 2026, which celebrate library teams and projects making a difference across Scotland.
Midlothian Library Service has been recognised for expanding the role of libraries as community hubs, with initiatives designed to meet local needs and improve access to services.
Its work includes literacy programmes, support for people facing cost-of-living pressures, digital inclusion projects and efforts to make library services more accessible.
The shortlist also includes Glasgow Life’s Libraries Development Team, which delivered this year’s Wee Write Book Festival, reaching 2,681 pupils through its education programme and welcoming more than 1,000 people to its Family Day.
The University of Glasgow’s Library and Information Studies MSc Team has also been nominated for establishing a new postgraduate qualification accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.
Three projects have been shortlisted for the Project Excellence Award, including initiatives focused on inclusive library services, migration and cultural memories, and the conservation and digitisation of historic collections.
This year’s awards also mark the launch of the Jacqueline Geekie Award for Excellence in Digital Innovation, recognising individuals or teams demonstrating creativity and collaboration in digital development.
The winners will be announced at the SLIC Showcase and AGM on Friday, November 6, at The Barracks in Stirling.
SLIC chair Alan Clarke said the shortlist demonstrated how library services across Scotland were responding to changing community needs and creating new opportunities for learning and creativity.
He added: “This year’s shortlist reflects that ambition, with projects and teams demonstrating both measurable results and meaningful change for the people they serve.”
The SLIC Awards are open to member libraries across Scotland, including public library services, further and higher education libraries, and specialist libraries. This year’s awards recognise work carried out between June 2025 and June 2026.
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