A council librarian has received an award from a national professional body for his outstanding contribution to libraries and information management.

Locality Librarian for Northwich and Winsford Ian Anstice has been awarded an honorary fellowship from CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

It is the institute’s highest recognition and is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the library and information world.

Recipients of the title join a roll call of important figures including three times former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Scottish philanthropist and library founder Andrew Carnegie, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal system used in library classification, Melvil Dewey; the poet, novelist and librarian Philip Larkin, novelist Dame Catherine Cookson, and children’s illustrator and author Shirley Hughes.

Ian has more than twenty years’ experience of working in libraries and in his spare time, he also produces one of the UK’s most comprehensive and accessible sources of information about UK public libraries, the Public Libraries News website.

He was nominated by fellow members of the library and information community for his ongoing work promoting public libraries and their staff.

The website is frequently used as a key resource for library staff, journalists, policy makers and people seeking information about public libraries in the UK.

Public library information and editorial published by Ian has been referenced in both Houses of Parliament and reported in local, national and international media.

Ian said: “It’s a great honour to receive an honorary fellowship and I’m totally delighted. I feel passionately about the role libraries fulfil at the heart of our communities and I see every day how important they are to the people of Cheshire West.”

The council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and wellbeing Louise Gittins said: “I’m thrilled that Ian has received such a prestigious award. I know he is highly regarded by the public for his work at both our Northwich and Winsford libraries. The success of his website shows just how committed he is to public libraries outside of work too.”