Brunner school librarian Annie books top award

Dublin People 10 Oct 2015
Annie Brady, librarian at St Pauls CBS, North Brunswick Street with principal Pat McCormack and students Kristin McMahon, Craig Redmond, Brandon Hanley, Mark McCormack and Godfrey Yoro. PHOTO: DARREN KINSELLA

NORTHSIDE school librarian, Annie Brady, was the toast of St Paul’s CBS Secondary School in Dublin 7 last week when she was presented with the SLA School Librarian of the Year Award by award-winning author, Kevin Brooks.

Annie received what is the School Library Association’s most prestigious accolade at a special ceremony at the Royal Society of Arts in London where she was one of three librarians shortlisted from hundreds throughout the UK and Ireland.

Annie is already a local hero at the Brunner, as St Paul’s CBS is called locally, and everybody at the school was thrilled when it was confirmed what they already know – that’s she’s the best librarian around.

And Annie was quick to praise staff and pupils from the Brunner after she picked up her award.

“My reaction was total shock but also total delight,” she said.

“I’m really honoured and it’s a huge honour for the school. And as I said when I won – you can only be librarian of the year if you have the support of a fantastic staff and amazing students.”

Principal of the Brunner, Patrick McCormack, is delighted Annie got the recognition she so richly deserves.

“Annie has ensured that the library lies at the heart of our school life playing a key role in planning and implementing our literacy and numeracy strategies,” he said.

“She works tirelessly to ensure that our students see reading as not just a school based activity but as something really enjoyable that can enrich their lives beyond the classroom walls.

“I can say without reservation that she has profoundly enhanced what our school offers to the students.”

Chair of the SLA school librarian of the year selection committee, Ginette Doyle, said Annie had made a huge impact on teaching, learning, numeracy and literacy levels within her school.

“Her energy, commitment and drive are something to be admired and her willingness to go beyond what might be expected of a librarian is plainly obvious,” she added. “She puts the library at the centre of learning within the school and her concern for the children within her care, constantly creating and developing a huge variety of learning opportunities, shows her to be an inspirational professional.”

 

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