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Glasgow Life and Midlothian Library Service have been shortlisted for the 2026 Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) Awards, recognising their work supporting communities across Scotland.
The two services are among six shortlisted in the awards, which celebrate library teams and projects delivering measurable results.
Glasgow Life’s Libraries Development Team and Midlothian Library Service are both nominated in the Team of the Year category, alongside the University of Glasgow’s Library and Information Studies MSc Team.
Glasgow Life was recognised for delivering the 2026 Wee Write Book Festival, which reached 2,681 pupils through its education programme and attracted more than 1,000 attendees to its Family Day.
Midlothian Library Service earned its nomination for expanding the role of libraries as community hubs, with initiatives covering literacy, digital inclusion, cost-of-living advice and accessible services.
The University of Glasgow team was shortlisted for establishing a new CILIP-accredited postgraduate qualification, providing a flexible route into the profession and helping develop future library and information specialists.
In the Project Excellence category, Glasgow Life was recognised for its EDI Change Making programme, a national leadership initiative focused on equality, diversity and inclusion.
The programme saw 81 participants from 13 local authorities complete more than 1,500 hours of learning.
Other shortlisted projects include the National Library of Scotland’s Experiences of Rain, which brought together people with migration experience to explore cultural memories of rain.
The resulting sound installation formed a central part of the library’s 2026 Rain exhibition, which attracted 28,531 visitors in its first two months.
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow was also recognised for Maximising Audubon’s The Birds of America, a project combining conservation and digitisation with public engagement. Visitor numbers to the collection increased from 351 to 1,478 in four months.
This year’s awards also introduce the Jacqueline Geekie Award for Excellence in Digital Innovation, established in memory of Jacqueline Geekie, a digital pioneer in Scotland’s library community.
The winners will be announced at the SLIC Showcase and AGM on Friday, November 6, at The Barracks in Stirling.
The awards are open to all SLIC member libraries, including public, academic and specialist services, and recognise work delivered between June 2025 and June 2026.
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Alan Clarke, chair of SLIC, said: "Across Scotland, teams are developing services that respond to changing community needs, opening up new opportunities for learning and creativity, and making collections and expertise accessible to more people.
"This year’s shortlist reflects that ambition, with projects and teams demonstrating both measurable results and meaningful change for the people they serve.
"The introduction of the Jacqueline Geekie Award is also an important opportunity to recognise the role of digital innovation in shaping the future of libraries, while celebrating a colleague who inspired so many across our sector.
"Congratulations to all those shortlisted.
"We look forward to celebrating their achievements at our Showcase and AGM in November."