The Global Libraries – Bulgaria Foundation Awards were established in 2017 as part of our mission to support the inclusion of all Bulgarians into the global igital and information society, and to work with the national public library network to ensure equal access to information, culture, knowledge and services.
The prizes are awarded annually in recognition of achievements over the previous twelve months. Winners are selected for four categories:
- National media
- Regional media
The awards in the two media categories recognise programming that focuses on the problems, challenges and opportunities related to the development of public libraries and on the creation of conditions in libraries for free and equal access to information, culture, knowledge and services.
- The Snezhana Yaneva Support award – named after a leading figure in the Bulgarian libary field and a founder of the Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation – this award recognises charitable activities that support camapaigns, projects or initiatives that support the priorities of the Foundation.
- Public institutions
GLBF announces the nomination criteria every year, and a jury selects the winners fro mamong the nominees.
The awards are presented as part of the annual GLBF National Forum, with a statuette designed by artist Pavel Bozheryanov.
The Forum’s sponsors over the years have included Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski”, the University of Library Studies and INformation Techologies (UniBIT), and the Bulgarian Platform for International Development. REgular media partners have been Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian Natioal Radio, Az Cheta (‘I Read’), Detski Knigi (‘Children’s Books’), and Kafene.bg.
The window for nominations for the 9th Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards is open from 1 September to 1 October 2025. These Awards will recognise achievements in the library field from 1 October 2024 until 30 September 2025.
For more details, click here (Bulgarian language only)
The 8th annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 14 October 2024 at the Ramada Hotel in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: Nova News, for ‘Social Network’
Regional Media: Radio Ruse
The Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: Evgeniya Vladimirova
Public Institution: Ruse Municipality
The panel this year was chaired by Prof. Vladimir Atanasov, with Snezhana Ioveva, Georgi Konstantinov and Prof. Boryana Hristova.
The 7th annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 13 November 2023 at the TOPLOCENTRALA Regional Centre for Contemporary Arts in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: Children’s Books / Detskiknigi.com
Regional Media: BTA – Varna
The Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: Greenwich Book Center
Public Institution: Municipality of Vratsa
The panel this year was chaired by Prof. Georgi Lozanov, with Prof. Vladimir Atanasov, Snezhana Ioveva, Georgi Konstantinov and GLBF Executive Director Spaska Tarandova.
The 6th annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 7 November 2022 at the National House of Science and Technology in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: Bularian National Television, for the ‘Library’programme
Regional Media: Radio Focus, Kyustendil
The Snezhana Yaneva Support Award: shared between Enthusiast Publishing House and the Knowledge Through Sport initiative
Public Institution: the School for Fine Arts at the Centre for Support for Personal Development in Ihtiman
The jury panel this year was composed of members of the Bulgarian Library and Information Society Public Council, chaired by Associate Prof. Georgi Lozanov, with Prof. Boryana Hristova, Snezhana Ioveva, Prof. Vladimir Atanasov and Georgi Konstantinov.
The 5th annual Global Libriries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 25 November 2021 at the Peroto Club in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: bTV Media Group, for regular programming focused on books, libraries, literature and the arts in general
Regional Media: Zapad Television (Southwest region), for focusing on the activities of Kyustendil Regional Library and the wider local public library network
Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, for the ‘Know Yourself and Pass It On’ project that encouraged interest in reading and literature among young people in Northwest Bulgaria. The project was implemented in 21 chitalishte
Public Institution: Burgas Municipality, for the development of the new Regional Library building
The 4th annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 24 November 2020, broadcast online from the Peroto Club in accordance with the social-distancing safety measures required during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The winners were:
National Media: Trud newspaper, for its regular in-depth coverage of the Luuben Karavelov Regional Library in Ruse
Regional Media: Vidin Television, for its collaboration with the Mihalaki Georgiev Regional Library for the monthly A Book for Company programme.
Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: InMusicBrands, for its donation of nearly 10,000 leva’s worth of musical instruments to the Lyuben Karavelov Regional Library in Ruse.
Public Institution: Lyaskovets Municipality, for the successful renovation of the Napredak-1870 chitalishte
The jury panel this year was chaired by Associate Prof. Georgi Lozanov, with Georgi Konstantinov, Prof.Vladimir Atanasov, Marin Bodakov and Snezhana Ioveva.
The 3rd annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 7 November 2019 at the Ramada Hotel in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: Az Cheta, for its work promoting books and reading throughout the Bulgarian Internet psace, and its partnership in the ‘Vratsa – Book City’ literary festival, the first of its kind in Northwest Bulgaria
Regional Media: Bulgarian National Radio – Radio Vidin, for the ‘Leafing Throuh Old Vidin Newspapers’ programme in collaboration with the Mihalaki Georgiev Regional Library in Vidin
The Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: Vratsa Software Society, for supporting the Hrito Botev Regional Library’s technology, digitization and digital skills initiatives
Public Institution: the Pen and Quill Association, for the ‘Literary Renaissance in Plovdiv’ project, implemented in collaboration with the Ivan Vazov National Library in Plovdiv
A special award was presented to Zlatka MIhaylova in recognition of her contributions to the Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation.
The jury panel this year was chaired by Associate Prof. Georgi Lozanov, with Prof. Vladimir Atanasov, Georgi Konstantinov, Marin Bodakov and Snezhana Ioveva.
The 2nd annual Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation Awards were held on 8 November 2018 at the Ramada Hotel in Sofia.
The winners were:
National Media: Bulgarian National Radio
Regional Media: dgnews.eu
Snezhana Yaneva Supporter Award: The Association for Urban Reading Rooms
Public Institution: Kazanluk Municipality
The jury panel this year was chaired by Associate Prof. Georgi Lozanov, with Georgi Konstantinov, Prof. Vladimir Atanasov, Marin Bodakov and Snezhana Ioveva
The inaugural Global Libraries Bulgaria Foundation awards were held on 9 November 2017 at the Ramada Hotel in Sofia.
Four awards were given in the first year, recognising achievements in promoting libraries and the priorities of the Foundation.
National Media was awarded to Bulgaria National Television, Regional Media was shared between Nova Dobrudzhankska Tribuna in Dobrich and Darik newspaper in Vratsa, and Public Institution was awarded to the Regional Inspectorate for Water and the Environment in Veliko Tarnovo.