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Previous Bookbug Hero Award winners

The Bookbug Hero Award celebrates the fantastic work of those who use Bookbug to change the lives of the children, families and communities they work with.

2022

Ian Keane (winner)

Over the last ten years, Ian has welcomed many families to Bookbug Sessions in Clackmannanshire. He arranges and co-ordinates the programme across five different library branches and works with local families, listening to feedback and incorporating new ideas that are raised. Ian's enthusiasm for Bookbug is genuine and contagious, and colleagues have praised how he engages children with songs and books.

Ian's work has a huge impact on children and families. He puts them at ease, motivating them to return week after week. Ian also encourages parents and guardians to mix, and for some this has been a lifeline and makes them feel less lonely or isolated. Some of the attendees do not have English as a first language, and the Bookbug Sessions allow them a fun and relaxing way to meet others and work on their language skills. Ian has also been praised for making his Bookbug Sessions inclusive for wheelchair users, making sure that all attendees are able to take part.

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Margaret Clark (highly commended)

Amanda Reid (highly commended)

Isobel Allen (highly commended)

2021

Kylie Watt (winner)

Kylie's work and use of Bookbug helped children transition back into the nursery environment as they returned from a prolonged Covid-19 lockdown. It also helped make parents feel involved and valued. She delivered reading sessions in small groups, using books to introduce and consolidate learning objectives such as exploring and recognising rhyme, counting syllables in words, letter recognition, story sequences and retelling the story. The stories also linked in with health and wellbeing, supporting children in their return to nursery. Kylie's sessions explored emotions and feelings to enable children to express their own during a difficult transitional period of settling into the new routine of Covid-19 nursery life.

Kylie was praised for using Bookbug as a consistent point of involvement and contact for parents to build a bridge between the home and nursery setting. She has equipped parents with information on how to use Bookbug Bags well and spend quality reading and bonding time with their children. She also maintained online communication with parents during the pandemic.

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David Murray (highly commended)

Shona Macmillan and Lindy Cameron Saunders (highly commended)

Nina Greenoak (highly commended)

2020

Myra Mains (winner)

Myra, Senior Library Assistant for Young People's Services, was described as the ‘smiling face of Inverclyde libraries’. She was one of the first in her community to complete Bookbug training back in 2011, and since then has been programming and delivering sessions to their youngest citizens and their families, as well as mentoring and supporting other staff to do likewise and creating partnerships with other groups in the community. Myra has helped 6,053 Bookbug Sessions to take place in Inverclyde, sharing the benefits of stories, songs and rhymes with 184,073 children and parents.

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Kirstie Burns (highly commended)

Ishbel Campbell (highly commended)

Jodie Reeser (highly commended)