The Queen’s Reading Room Medal

The Queen’s Reading Room Medal celebrates individuals who have championed reading, books and literature in communities around the UK.

The Queen’s Reading Room Medal

Nominate your
reading hero

The Queen’s Reading Room Medal celebrates individuals who have championed reading, books and literature in communities around the UK. Nominations will be accepted from April 1st 2025 and will close in December 2025.

Nominate

The Queen’s Reading Room Medal celebrates individuals who have championed reading, books and literature in communities around the UK.

They might be an individual working in the publishing industry, library or other grassroots service, or a volunteer for an organisation, but the quality which makes them outstanding is their commitment to going above and beyond to spreading the joy of storytelling.

Nominees and winners might have founded reading groups; worked to improve access and usage of local libraries; facilitated the donation of books to groups or individuals in need; created or produced local literary events, or have an outstanding volunteering record in the reading space.

Their contribution will have made a demonstrable impact on the people they serve: improving literacy, transforming non-readers into readers, or helping to improve wellbeing by connecting people with other book lovers. Their impact may be connected to literacy but the key impact is around increasing reading.

By spotlighting and celebrating these individuals, we seek to champion those ordinary people who make an extraordinary impact where they live or work. We are particularly keen to emphasise the positive impact to wellbeing – particularly mental health and social connection – which books can help bring in a community.

Our Judges

Nominations will be accepted from April 1st 2025. The award has attracted a stellar judging panel consisting of figures from across the publishing industry including Jonathan Douglas (CEO of The National Literacy Trust), Dan Conway (CEO of The Publishers Association), Nels Abbey (Founder of The Black British Writers Guild), Dame Gail Rebuck (Chair of Penguin Random House), Alison Tweed (CEO of Book Aid International), Sarah Mears (Programmes Director for Libraries Connected), and Ann Cleeves (author and Founder of Reading for Wellbeing).

jonathan-douglas-ceo-national-literary-trust

 

dan-conway-august-2022-cropped

 

nels-abby

 

dame-gail-rebuck

 

alison-tweed

 

sarah-mears

 

ann-cleeves

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who can be nominated?

    Anybody over the age of eighteen can nominate themselves or another person for The Queen’s Reading Room Medal.

  • Who can put forward a nominee?

    Anybody over the age of eighteen can nominate themselves or another person for The Queen’s Reading Room Medal

  • Can I nominate myself?

    Yes you can.

  • How do I submit a nomination?

    Click on the NOMINATE NOW button, if you have any issues please email info@thequeensreadingroom.co.uk, applications close at the end of December 2025.

  • What information will I need to submit a nomination?

    You will need to supply your name, email, the nominees name, contact details and why you are nominating them.

  • What are you looking for in a nominee?

    We are looking for the unsung reading heroes of the UK – the individuals who have gone above and beyond, either through their profession/job, or through a voluntary position, to promote reading and literature in communities around the UK.

    Winners might have founded reading groups; worked to improve access and usage of local libraries; facilitated the donation of books to groups or individuals in need; created or produced local literary events, or have an outstanding volunteer record in the reading space – whatever their contribution, you must be able to demonstrate that their work has positively impacted others.

  • Can I nominate somebody who is not a volunteer?/Can a nominee be in a paid position?

    If you are nominating an individual for work they have undertaken whilst in a paid position, then you must be able to demonstrate that they have gone above and beyond what is expected of their role, to promote reading and literature around the UK.

    If you are nominating members of a for-profit organisation for work they have undertaken outside of services they usually offer, then you must be able to demonstrate how the organisation has had a wider impact on the local community.

    Examples might include a local independent supermarket which has championed shared reading in their local area, or a local NHS trust which has promoted the benefits of reading and access to books, boosting mental health and wellbeing across its workforce.

  • What period of work should the nomination cover?

    This work should have taken place during 2025

  • Who will be judging the awards?

    The nominations will be shortlisted by the Queen’s Reading Room Team and then presented to a panel consisting of figures from across the publishing industry including Jonathan Douglas (CEO, National Literary Trust), Dan Conway (The Publisher’s Association), Nels Abby (The Black British Writers Guild) and Dame Gail Rebuck (Penguin Random House)

  • Can I be nominated or nominate somebody else for a project or work undertaken outside of the UK?

    At this moment in time, nominations will only be considered for work/projects undertaken in the UK.

    However, The Queen’s Reading Room is very much aware of the brilliant work undertaken by volunteers all over the world and we hope to expand the Medal to encompass projects outside of the UK in due course.

  • What do you win?

    Winners will be presented with a unique Queen’s Reading Room Medal.

Nominate your choice

Nominate here

With Thanks To

Worcestershire Medals Limited

We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to Worcestershire Medals Limited who have graciously supported The Queen’s Reading Room Medal. As Royal Warrant holders since 2008, Worcestershire Medals are suppliers of insignia to many Governments around the world