Librarian Wins Top Award

A prestigious award has been presented to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Childrens and Youth Services Librarian for her innovative ideas, partnership work and exciting new initiatives.

Ceri Roberts was presented with the Norman Stead Award for Local Education Officer of the Year 2009 at a special ceremony to celebrate achievements in Education. This award is given in memory of a member of staff of the Council’s Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate, who worked in the department for over 30 years before sadly passing away in 2004.

Miss Roberts’s department provides library services to children and young people in all 29 branch libraries in Rhondda Cynon Taf, including story and craft activities for children, as well as a separate library service to schools.

Supplementing this core service she has worked with a variety of partners on projects for children and young people. Recent projects include “Bookstart” (for younger children) and “Read a Million Words in Wales” (working initially with primary schools and now with comprehensive schools to encourage reading).

She has also worked extensively on an outreach project working with young people in residential homes, has arranged placements for teachers within the library service to promote partnership working, has arranged shadowing sessions around the Carnegie Medal awards in comprehensive schools and assisted with the development of the new Teenage Library in Treorchy. Ceri Roberts has also worked on the creation of an educational heritage DVD in conjunction with colleagues from Neath Porth Talbot.

Her achievements have allowed her the opportunity to work with a variety of partners and agencies to complete projects, including the Basic Skills Agency, Fframwaith, primary and secondary schools and the Council’s Youth Service, Childrens’ Services and Cultural Services departments.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation Cllr Robert Bevan said: “As a professional librarian, Ceri Roberts has spent all her working life providing imaginative library services for children locally.

“She is a familiar figure in all Rhondda Cynon Taf schools, often seen dressing up as a dragon or an angel or for that matter any children’s character you care to mention at the drop of a hat. The Council’s Library Service is very proud of her achievements and is delighted at the recognition she receives for all of her innovative hard work.”

Photograph: Librarian Ceri Roberts receiving her award from the Council’s Director of Education & Lifelong Learning Mike Keating