Alison Brumwell

Librarianship is really my second career, having worked first in the Canadian publishing industry. I have nearly fourteen years’ broad-based experience, ranging from working for Leeds Library and Information Service in a number of different roles to the Librarian post at a challenging secondary school.

I have been a children’s specialist for six years and am currently the Librarian/Information Officer for booksplus, Kirklees Council’s schools resource service. It is a dream job, which allows me to do the two things I love best: working with young people and promoting the value of books and reading for pleasure. The booksplus team is small, but very committed to doing the best to support our schools and their pupils. I also have the opportunity to do something else I love, which is writing. Whether it’s poetry, writing and editing our termly newsletter or contributing to professional publications, this is a hugely rewarding part of my life.

In February 2012 I will have the chance to see firsthand what schools and school libraries are like in a developing country when I visit eastern Uganda with a team from Books for Uganda, a local charity. I expect to have plenty of time for reading Carnegie and Greenaway titles on the five hour trip from Entebbe!

Ann Cowdrey

I started my library career a few years ago in South Africa and continued it on my return to Northern Ireland. On my return I worked for the Belfast Public Libraries as they were then, and had branch and mobile library experience. I then moved into the world of Higher Education Libraries but soon discovered that it wasn’t for me.

The past nine years have seen me working in school libraries and I really love it. Nothing gives me a greater thrill than introducing a child to reading especially a reluctant one. I consider myself to be one of the very few fortunate people in life who gets up every day to go to a job I love.

Rhian Date

I graduated from Gwent College of Higher Education with a BEd (Hons) Primary and taught children between the ages of 3 to 10 for five years. In a change of career I then worked as a Library assistant in Bridgend Library for two years during which I studied for a Diploma in Library and Information Management. I now work as a comprehensive school Librarian and have been in my current post for 7 years. I also work for Bridgend Libraries during the school holidays and enjoy getting involved with as many children’s activities, reading and library promotions as I can.

Sarah Hillier

I have worked in Wiltshire for 20 years now, 15 of which I have been County Children’s librarian, firstly on a part time basis alongside being a branch librarian in Trowbridge, then full time since 2003. As County Children’s librarian I manage many promotions, activities, events and training, usually challenging, always rewarding. Since 1994 I have been involved in organising special Wiltshire Carnegie/Greenaway days – where library staff come together to discuss and vote for their favourite books of the year.

I have been on the YLG SW Committee for 10 years and have been Chair and Secretary as well as helping to organise many courses. I’m also on the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians SW Committee.

I’ve been reading books for children and young people for many years now and still love it! There are always exciting new authors and illustrators to discover as well as old favourites still producing top class books. Helping children and young people to develop a love of reading is so important and very rewarding. I have a great job, and I‘m lucky to have a hugely passionate and creative team of librarians working with me. Being a Carnegie and Greenaway judge is also a huge privilege and I’m really looking forward to it.

Shelley Jacobsen

I have a Master's degree in Library and Information Studies from University College London, and from 2005-2008 was a children's librarian for the London Borough of Hounslow Libraries. After a move to Scotland for my husband's work, I have worked as a researcher for Ringgold, an information management company. I am a member of the YLG Scotland committee, as well as a volunteer for Rachel House of the Children's Hospice Association Scotland.

I am originally from North America, and am also a member of the American Library Association and its youth services divisions, ALSC and YALSA. I frequently take online courses with these divisions in order to try to stay abreast of developments in youth services across the ocean. I've published reviews in Universal verse: poetry for children (ed. Deborah Hallford and Edgardo Zaghini).

Prior to my library career, I completed post-graduate degrees in Russian language and literature and religious studies, and worked for the Open Society Institute-New York on arts programmes in Russia, former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Currently I am on maternity leave and expecting our first child in mid-October 2011. I'm honoured and excited to be a part of the Carnegie/Greenaway awards process.

Ellen Krajewski

I started working in Libraries 10 years ago as a Saturday Assistant in a local college.

After three years I moved to a secondary school as a Library Assistant and embarked on a distance learning degree in Library and Information Studies with Aberystwyth University, graduating in July 2011. I have been in my current post as a secondary school Librarian in Hertfordshire for four and a half years and have run a successful Carnegie Shadowing Group, which is growing all the time, for the last three years.

I gained ACLIP in 2009 and am currently working towards Chartership.

I have always been an avid reader and love discussing books with my students. It’s a wonderful feeling to see children “fired up” and enthusiastic about books that I have recommended to them.

Rachel Levy (Chair of Judges)

After graduating with an English degree, I took a masters in Information Studies in 2002 specifically to become a Children’s Librarian because it seemed the best way to combine my passions for literature and for working with children, and I have been working in children’s librarianship ever since.

I currently manage the Children’s and Young People’s Service for the London Borough of Sutton. I have been an active member of the Youth Libraries Group for many years, both with my local branch and the national committee, and it has been one of most rewarding aspects of my career so far.

This will be my fourth year of being involved with the Carnegie and Greenaway awards, from judge to vice-chair to chair, and it’s been a wonderful, enlightening, experience that I feel honoured to be a part of and I am looking forward to working with this year’s panel of judges, getting stuck into the reading and enjoying the great debates!

Amy McKay

I am proud to be an avid bookworm and never leave the house without a book in my handbag. I have been happily employed as a school librarian for the past seven years and consider myself lucky to make a living from something I adore. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing a student engrossed in a book.

I am Chair of the East Midlands branch of YLG, it is a role that I really enjoy and I appreciate the opportunity it’s given me to gain an insight into other areas of the profession. I love reading children’s and young adult books and am over-the-moon to be a CKG judge – I can’t wait to immerse myself in the process.

Steve Palmer

I have worked in public libraries for 20 years and for 5 years as the Manager of Solihull’s School Library Service and also the Bookstart Co-ordinator. I am now back in public libraries as part of the children’s services team, continuing to work on Bookstart, and organising family learning events. I am also part of the panel that organises the Solihull Children’s Book Award and offer reading choices to teenagers and children using our Book Doctor service.

I love reading children’s and young adult books and I am really looking forward to the challenge and reward of being part of the panel of judges for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals.

Karen Robinson

I have been working with children and young people in libraries since being a library assistant for Westminster Libraries in 2001. With the support of Westminster libraries I embarked on the M.A. in library and information studies at UCL and then moved within the borough to be the literacy development worker for Queens Park library and Surestart. I moved to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2004, excited by the Idea Store project and the opportunity to be the Surestart Librarian for the borough. I moved from this role to be the Children and young people’s officer, coordinating children’s library services across 7 Idea Stores. I am currently working as the librarian at the City of London Academy, Islington, an 11-18 academy in inner London. It has been a privilege to set up a new library in the academy and see the students become regular library users and readers.

I have been involved with YLG London since 2002 and represent London on the National committee. I have also had the opportunity to work with Book time and Booked up helping to select books for the 2 schemes as well as being on the judging panel for the first Chicken House and Times children’s book competition. My undergraduate studies were in Visual culture; art, photography and design so I am looking forward to combining my experience of the visual and the written when judging the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals.

Lizzie Ryder

I read English Literature at the University of Leeds where I maintained special interest in children’s fiction, particularly the role of fairy tales in early educational experience. After graduating I spent a couple of years temping in office jobs before taking a place on the MMU Libraries graduate trainee scheme. It was during this time, while working in the Acquisitions department and processing the stock destined for the Children’s Collection, that I had my eyes opened to the incredible variety of children’s literature that exists; not only the wealth of “classic material” but also many marvellous, and often innovative, contemporary works.

A stint working at MMU’s Education Library in Didsbury cemented my desire to work with children and young people and I have been lucky enough to be employed as the Librarian at Bury Grammar School for Girls since qualifying in 2007. I seek to run a library that functions both as a well-equipped learning resource and as an environment that encourages pupils to read for pleasure while hopefully exposing them to a wider cross-section of material than they would otherwise be. Needless to say we have always shadowed the CKG medals...

Gabrielle Spilman

I qualified in 2003, and have been working in public libraries since 2008, which is when I began working with children and young people.

I previously worked in a Schools Library Service, but I am now based in community libraries. I enjoy helping young people to find the right book for them, and have become an avid reader of everything from board books to teen fiction! I’m involved in the Northern Children’s Book Festival, which gives children the chance to meet and work with fantastic authors, illustrators and poets. This will be my second year as a judge. I really enjoyed last year and can’t wait for this year’s awards to begin!

Rosemary Woodman

My career with the Berkshire Education Library Service began shortly after I moved to England in the mid-seventies from the USA. With a background in university library work, I was fascinated by the breadth and depth of British children’s literature and relished the opportunity to discover old classics and explore new favourites. The school library service accelerated my immersion into English life. As my family grew, my own three children became in-house barometers for the success of the books I brought home to read.

For the past twelve years I have been coordinating ELS’ very popular Carnegie Greenaway Shadowing programme. Nearly 70 primary, secondary and special schools throughout the Thames Valley joined this year. The children and young people particularly enjoy shadowing because everybody has a voice. I am always encouraged that each year they discover details unnoticed by the adults. My current post as reader development adviser involves leading termly promotional programmes for schools, organising the annual Berkshire Book Festival, and providing book talks and inset training. Working with authors, illustrators, publishers and schools to create book events for pupils is particularly rewarding. My special interests include teen fiction, poetry and picture books. I regularly review books for The School Librarian journal and the ELS Online website and am an active member of the South East YLG committee.