This archive report, dated October 10, 2026, announced 12 awards for public schools in the Andalusian provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville. Three additional schools in Cádiz, Córdoba and Granada received special mentions. The awards recognize work in school libraries and efforts to encourage reading. Education Minister María del Carmen Castillo congratulated the recipients and highlighted the importance of the awards. This year’s competition received 112 applications in the School Libraries category and 84 in Reading Promotion.
The competition was open to schools offering the second cycle of early childhood education, primary and secondary education, baccalaureate, vocational training, special education, adult education and special-regime studies, provided they had carried out initiatives to develop and innovate their libraries or promote reading.
In the School Libraries category for early childhood and primary schools, first prize went to Valeriano Bécquer School in Seville for “Reborn Among Books: A Space with Soul, a Community with a Future.” The project established the library as a central part of school life, with work on reading, information literacy, accessible resources and family involvement. Second prize went to F. Hernández Cánovas School in Málaga for “Biblioalas: Read Without Limits,” an inclusive, accessible library developed with families and local organizations.
For secondary, baccalaureate and vocational-training schools, IES Fernando de los Ríos in Málaga won first prize for “Efecto Ríos: Chronicle of a Library in Motion,” which includes a well-developed collection and scheduled weekly reading time. IES Sol de Portocarrero-La Laboral in Almería received second prize for its established library and broad collection integrated into teaching.
In the category for special education, adult education and special-regime studies, CEEE Directora Mercedes Sanromá in Seville won first prize for “A Storybook School,” using Braille, textures, communication devices, pictograms and adapted technology to help students access reading according to their abilities. Huelva Official School of Languages received second prize for “Bibliobabel,” a project supporting adult students’ independent, multilingual learning.
In Reading Promotion, the early childhood and primary school first prize went to CPR Aderán 1 in Huelva for “Threads of Magic,” which brought together the reading experiences of three rural sites through storytelling, gamification and technology. EEI Gloria Fuertes in Olvera, Cádiz, received second prize for “Once Upon a Time… the Magic of Reading Together,” built around children’s perspectives and multisensory experiences.
Among secondary, baccalaureate and vocational-training schools, IES Los Montes in Colmenar, Málaga, won first prize for integrating reading as an organized, assessable practice across subjects. IES Peña del Águila in Mancha Real, Jaén, received second prize for an interdisciplinary project combining heritage, art, science and technology. In the special, adult and special-regime education category, CEPER Juan Ramón Jiménez in Algeciras, Cádiz, won first prize for “Memories of Life,” turning adult students’ personal histories and oral traditions into a community audiobook. Granada Official School of Languages received second prize for a multilingual library project featuring audio resources, QR codes, workshops and activities.
The special mentions went to CEPER Almadraba in La Línea de la Concepción, Cádiz, for building a library in an adult-education center; CEEE Jean Piaget in Ogíjares, Granada, for its sensory-accessible “Bicho Palabrín” library; and Córdoba Official School of Languages for connecting its library with the city’s languages and cultural life. The first two mentions were in School Libraries, and the third was in Reading Promotion. The category for special education, adult education and special-regime studies was included in the competition for the first time to highlight work supporting inclusion and culture.