The Carnegies are governed by CILIP, supported by CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group, and managed by the Awards Team.
Jake Hope is the Awards Executive, a post which supports CILIP in leading the strategic development of the Awards. Jake is an experienced children’s book and reading development consultant, named as one of the UK’s top librarians of the future in the National Love Libraries Campaign. He has written extensively on children’s reading development and librarianship, contributing chapters to numerous books, producing the SLA publication on diversity and inclusion and previews for The Bookseller. He is the author of the recently published book on visual literacy, Seeing Sense, (Facet Publishing, 2020). Jake enjoys working creatively, has strong network links across the book trade and reading sector and is passionate about children’s books and promoting a love of reading and writing with young people and their families.
As a child I harboured secret dreams of being a teacher, a solicitor or a judge. However, others would have said I should be a librarian. I was always a bookworm. Reading and books have been my constant refuge, my joy, my freedom, and never more so than since 2020 with lockdown and the Black Lives Matter movement.
I became a librarian on completing my Master’s degree in 1985 and, after a few years, I fell into teaching through life’s twists and turns, returning to librarianship in 2018 where I’m living my dream as a librarian in Further Education. I have taught from Early Years through to HND level students.
I was fortunate to be a judge for the Awards in the 2021 – 2022 (lockdown) cycle. Since then, I have had a few interviews, visited shadowing groups, judged the Jericho Prize 2023, sat on Reading Teacher = Reading Pupils panels for the Cheltenham Festivals, spoken at the Children’s Bookseller Conference, and I am now working on the new selection of Quick Reads for the Reading Agency. I am on the CILIP125 list, which is an incredible honour.
I am honoured and excited about being Chair of Judges in 2026. I feel privileged to be part of the dreams of others. Whatever your dreams may be, hold on to them. You just never know how life may turn out for you.
Mackenzie joined CILIP in 2021, and works to ensure the effective planning, delivery and growth of the Awards in partnership with the wider CILIP team and external contractors.
With degrees in Communications and Museum Studies, she has previously worked in programmes and project management in several archives and museums, and across the wider charitable sector in the UK and Canada.
If you are interested in supporting the awards or becoming a Judge for the Carnegies, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch at carnegies@cilip.org.uk and we will send you more information.