Anne Robinson to chair Gloucestershire library prize

Author and broadcaster Anne Robinson is to chair the David Vaisey Prize, a new £5,000 award launched to recognise an "outstanding" Gloucestershire library initiative.

The prize is named after David Vaisey CBE, who was Bodley's Librarian and head of Oxford University's libraries.

In considering the submissions, the judges will take into account, amongst other factors, the use made of volunteers, initiatives for young and old readers, and the relative size of the libraries.

The first prize will be £5,000 for the winning library, with £1,000 for each of the runners-up.

The prize money will be for libraries to use at their discretion for "reading related purposes".

Joining former "The Weakest Link" TV quiz host Robinson on the judging panel will be children's writer Jamila Gavin, chairman of the Cheltenham Music Festival Edward Gillespie, art gallery director Marianne Hinton, and  assistant headteacher and head of whole school literacy at Kingshill School Cirencester Trevor Lee.

The prize will be awarded at an event at The Times and The Sunday  Times Cheltenham Literature Festival in October, to give public recognition to the value of libraries and their volunteer support.

The Chairman of the Trust, Jonathan Taylor CBE, former chairman of the Booker Prize Foundation said: “I am confident that this initiative will demonstrate and reinforce the continuing vitality and relevance of the county’s libraries and the importance of reading. With success in Gloucestershire this is a project that could be extended more widely.”