The SCONUL Library Design Awards will be taking place in 2016. These awards aim to showcase and celebrate the very best in recent academic library design in the UK and Ireland. Library space and the academic library as "place" continue to be highly valued and of key significance to the standing and reputation of our institutions; our library users continue to demonstrate through both use and demand, the important part that the physical library plays in their experience of and engagement with their learning and research. The SCONUL Library Design Awards offer a unique opportunity to recognise high quality, innovative library design which delivers effective and accessible learning environments for our University communities.

Timing

A formal call for nominations will take place in February 2016. There will be four weeks to submit nominations. The panel of judges will carefully evaluate all submissions and shortlist a select group of buildings to visit. As we hope to see the designs in action, visits by the judging panel to the shortlisted libraries will occur place in May.

A Design Awards event will take place in late 2016. The winner will be announced at the event. 

Criteria and eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, buildings will have been completed between 1 July 2012 and 1 January 2015. There will be two categories of award: Small (under 2,000 square metres) and medium/large (2,000 square metres or greater).  All types of building projects (new buildings, extensions, conversions and refurbishments) will be eligible. Any library, learning centre or learning resource centre which a SCONUL member library manages is eligible.

Submissions should include high-resolution images for use in the Design Awards Event.

Detailed criteria will be circulated with the call for nominations. The broad themes to be considered are: Strategic alignment, design, and transformation. In evaluation of the criteria, judges will consider the broad range of users (students, researchers, academic and library staff and other stakeholders). As always, the judging process will evaluate how the building design delivers an effective learning environment  for its users,  rather than any single or unique focus on perceived architectural merit.

Look for more detailed information in February 2016. 

Click here for previous winners of the awards.