Posted on Friday 13th November 2020
Liz Gardener, winner of the 2020 RNA Awards
A Staffordshire librarian has won a prestigious national award for championing a love of romantic novels
Staffordshire County Council librarian Liz Gardner has won the Best Library and Librarian category in the Romantic Novelists’ Association 2020 Industry Awards.
While it was heartbreak for other nominees, Liz’s passion and enthusiasm for the romantic genre and a general love of books and reading throughout Staffordshire was recognised.
Liz, who has been with the library service for 13 years, has been active in promoting and raising awareness of the romantic genre and getting people together on the new Staffordshire Libraries’ Book Chat Group on Facebook.
Talking about her award, Liz said:
“I’m over the moon with my award. It’s a lovely surprise and an honour not just for me but for Staffordshire Libraries as a whole’
“It has been a real pleasure to work with the RNA to help raise their profile both in Staffordshire and more widely and to bring romantic fiction in all its myriad forms to new audiences.
“Whatever genre you are interested in, being able to enjoy books and connect with others through a love of reading is so important for our wellbeing and mental health, especially in the challenging times that this year has brought”
Victoria Wilson, Libraries Chief at Staffordshire County Council said:
“This is wonderful news for our libraries service and for Liz. It shows what a great job our libraries, staff and volunteers do in promoting a love of books and reading.
“Libraries play an important cultural role, engaging with authors, supporting local writers and providing a broad range of reading material too.
“Staffordshire libraries continue to be hubs within local communities, providing access to a huge range of services and online activities.”
The winners were announced at an online presentation on Thursday November 12th 2020.
Presentation can be viewed here.