Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions the ALIA Board of Directors have made the decision that the Australian Library Design Awards 2021 will be going virtual in order to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our members, staff and conference delegates. We are excited to embrace the opportunities offered by modern technology that allows the organisation to continue showcasing the best in Australian contemporary library interiors and exteriors.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
ALIA members have the opportunity to vote for their favourite library from the nominations here. Voting closed on 8 February 2021.
Take a look at all the galleries of all nominations winners from the 2019 and 2017 awards.
CATEGORIES
ELIGIBILITY
Any library in Australia, recently built, renovated or refurbished (work completed between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2020) can be entered for the awards. This does not include pop up, temporary or mobile libraries. Libraries nominated for previous awards cannot be entered again.
Libraries which had final work delayed by COVID-19 are still eligible to nominate if their work was completed just after the cut-off date of 30 June 2020.
WHO CAN NOMINATE
Nominations are submitted by libraries and their designers or architects.
JUDGING
The judging panel comprises independent design professionals and senior library leaders.
- Janine Schmidt, IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Standing Committee (Chair)
- Janette Burke, University Librarian, University of Tasmania
- Philip Follent, Life Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
- Anne Girolami, Chair, ALIA Schools
- Paula Kelly Paull, Leader - Growth and Development, Raeco and Director - Progressive Momentum
- Anne Kovachevich, Australasian Leader, Arup Foresight + Innovation team
- Karen Latimer, Member and former Chair, UK Designing Libraries Advisory Board
- Kylie Legge, Director, Place Partner
- Jenny Mustey, Library Services Manager, Campaspe Regional Library
- Ann Ritchie, ALIA HLA
The judging panel reserves the right not to make an award in a category or to make more than one award where there are equally outstanding entries. It may assign highly commended status to especially impressive entries.
AWARDS
HOW TO ENTER
CRITERIA
Strategic relevance: including approach to achieving the organisational, service and design objectives, response to special considerations or challenges, sustainability, and value for money.
Community engagement: including initial identification of needs through to concept development and project delivery.
Impact: including user experience, efficiency, functionality, delivery of services, and meeting community needs particularly those of specific groups.
For smaller projects constrained by space or costs, the panel will assess the level of innovation, creativity and transformation achieved despite the constraints.
The judges’ decision will be final.
About the conference
On 18 March, 2021, there will be a one-day virtual conference, featuring the shortlisted projects, and the announcement of the award winners. The conference is part of the Asia-Pacific Architecture Forum held annually in Brisbane. Entrants are encouraged to book a place early.
Registrations for the virtual conference are now open.
previous winners
Sixteen stunning libraries were entered for second Australian Library Design Awards 2019 Online nominations opened on 2 July and closed on 30 September, 2018. The shortlist was announced on 6 February 2019.
On 14 March, 2019, there was a one-day conference at the State Library of Queensland featuring the shortlisted projects, with a presentation of the awards and a celebratory evening reception. In addition to the publicity and kudos of the award, the winners received handcrafted trophies.
You can read the Asia Pacific Architecture Forum news release.
You can read the news release on the 2019 ALIA Library Design Awards shortlist and winners.
The ALIA Library Design Awards are kindly supported by ArchitectureAU.com, Raeco and State Library of Queensland.
More information
For more information please contact LDA@alia.org.au.