Dudley librarian wins Romantic Novelists Association librarian of the year

Dudley library manager Sharon Whitehouse was declared Librarian of the Year at the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s 2022 awards.

The awards celebrate the hard work and talent of any person, group or organisation who has championed the broad genre of romantic fiction in a positive way.

Sharon was recognised for her work promoting romantic fiction and writers. Most recently she worked with authors to provide talks for library users across the borough.

Sharon has organised library events and has arranged numerous author talks, ghost story evenings, local theatre performances, and recently divination and palm reading evenings.

Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs, cabinet member responsible for libraries, said: "I’m delighted that Sharon’s enthusiasm and commitment have been recognised. All of our staff work incredibly hard but it’s lovely to see an individual being recognised for going above and beyond.

"Library events are so important as they support authors, promote reading and bring in new users to enjoy a library experience. My heartfelt congratulations to Sharon on her well deserved award.

Sharon said: "I was delighted to discover I had been nominated for the Romantic Novelist’s Association Librarian of the Year Award and absolutely thrilled to be announced the winner.

"I am grateful to Joanna Toye, well-known Author and TV and Radio scriptwriter, for nominating me for this award following two tours of successful author talks at Dudley Libraries.

"I feel very proud that such a prestigious organisation as the RNA has chosen me to be their Librarian of the Year. Their focus is to raise the profile of romantic fiction and support authors of the genre. As Librarians, we strive to make a difference to people’s lives in our local communities.

"We can only achieve this together, so I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of all my colleagues at Dudley Libraries and GLL. I am sharing the honour of the award with them as they all deserve the recognition too."

The awards have been held for the past eight years and are highly respected in the UK publishing industry. The finalists are nominated by the full and probationary membership of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, with a panel of independent judges selecting the shortlists.

The award categories are: The Romantic Bookseller of the Year, Inclusion Award, Indie Champion of the Year, Library or Librarian of the Year, Indie Editor of the Year, Cover Designer of the Year, Narrator of the Year, Media Star of the Year, Agent of the Year, and Publisher and / or Editor of the Year.

For more information about the Romantic Novelists’ Association visit https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org.