CILIP moves celebrations for 2020's Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal winners

CILIP is postponing the winners' ceremony for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals and extending its Shadowing Scheme until October, taking into account the government's advice concerning the ongoing pandemic.

This year's victors will still be announced on 17th June 2020 as scheduled, via a media announcement and social media. Instead of the planned ceremony on the 17th June at the British Library, however, the 2020 medal-winners will be celebrated at a special event in collaboration with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) at some point during Libraries Week (5th–10th October 2020). Further details are to be confirmed.

The decision has also been made to extend its Shadowing Scheme, which enables young people to "shadow" the judging process, until October 2020. CILIP said the extension "will provide greater opportunity for children and young people to engage with the Shadowing Scheme and access the shortlisted books in print through Peters, the official book supplier for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards Shadowing Scheme". CILIP is working with publishers to ensure that books are made available digitally where possible so children and young people with internet access can still participate in the Shadowing Scheme from home.

Nick Poole, chief executive of CILIP, commented: "As we adjust to the current climate, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to no longer gather in the British Library for our annual winners' ceremony. However, with equal enthusiasm, the winners of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals will be announced via the media and our social platforms. We have also decided to extend the Shadowing Scheme to allow for the shortlisted books to be read by more children and young people, supporting the awards’ mission ‘to inspire and empower the next generation to shape a better world through books and reading’."

He added: "These are uncertain times, but we look forward to celebrating the wonderful books and this year’s shortlisted authors and illustrators during Libraries Week later this year, where CILIP will be encouraging libraries across the country to continue to showcase their reading offer and the contribution they make towards building a nation of readers."

The 2020 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are sponsored by Peters and ALCS, and funded by the Carnegie UK Trust.