A Dudley librarian has been nominated as librarian of the year by the Romantic Novelists Association.

Dudley Library Manager, Sharon Whitehouse, is a finalist in the Library or Librarian of the Year category for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s (RNA) annual Industry Awards for 2022.

The awards celebrate the hard work and talent of any person, group or organisation who has championed the broad genre of romantic fiction in a positive way.

Sharon is the Library Manager for Dudley and Gornal libraries where she organises library events and has arranged numerous author talks, ghost story evenings, local theatre performances, and recently divination and palm reading evenings. Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs, cabinet member responsible for libraries, said:

“All of our staff are extremely dedicated and have a passion for books and an affection for their library community.

“I’m so pleased that Sharon’s hard work and enthusiasm have been recognised. Our staff are the backbone of our libraries, making them welcoming environments for people to visit, study and learn. I wish her all the best for the awards this month.”

Sharon added: “I am absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for the RNA Library or Librarian of the Year award.

“It is the first time in a long career that I have been recognised for my work and it means a great deal to me.

“Dudley Libraries strives to promote the work of romantic fiction authors, which is hugely popular with our customers, and we are always happy to welcome authors of romantic fiction into our libraries to talk to our customers, who are thrilled to meet their favourite authors face to face.”

The awards have been held for the past eight years and are highly respected in the UK publishing industry. The finalists are nominated by the full and probationary membership of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, with a panel of independent judges selecting the shortlists.

The winners will be announced on Friday 11th November 2022.