Library and Information Studies MA Prizes

Sir John MacAlister Medal

The Sir John MacAlister Medal was created in 1926 in the memory of Sir John MacAlister, who founded the School of Librarianship. The medal is awarded to the most distinguished candidate in the MA in Library and Information Studies, University College London. The medal was awarded to:

• Yvonne Lee and Lily Swain in 2025
• Sae Matsuno in 2024
• Victoria Gray in 2023
• Brooke Cambie in 2022
• Grace Troth in 2021
• Alex Plane in 2020
• Chris Fripp in 2019
• Anne Binsfeld in 2018
• Eve Burman-Lacey in 2017
• Emma Sillett in 2016
• Amy McEwan in 2015
• Katherine Williams in 2014
• Natalie Kent in 2013
• Matthew Seddon in 2012
• Joanna Maddocks in 2011
• Vanessa Freedman in 2010.

The Cowley Prize

The Cowley Prize was founded in 1950 in memory of John D. Cowley, the late director of the School of Librarianship, with the royalties received from the publication entitled ”The Libraries in London”, being a course of lectures given at the Easter Vacation Course in Librarianship in 1948. The Cowley prize is awarded to two distinguished candidates for the MA Degree in Library and Information Studies. The prize was awarded to:

• Katherine Knight and Joseph Dempster in 2025
• Lucy Dodge and Sarah Pipkin in 2024
• Katie Hannawin, Cui Shan Koh (Constance) and Heidi Kinderman in 2023
• Alex Hewitt, Catherine Drewry and Ella Burrows in 2022
• Madeleine Ahern and Lauren Ward in 2021
• Sally Hamer and Ruth Long in 2020
• Simon Cloudesley and Rachael Seculer-Faber in 2019
• Catherine Chorley and Lucy Royle in 2018
• Lauren Dolman and Hannah Rowe in 2017
• Niamh Delaney and Rebecca Scott in 2016
• George Bray and Sara Etheridge in 2015
• Sarah Charles and Oliver Henderson Smith in 2014
• Alice Dowhyj and Amy Icke in 2013
• Erika Delbecque and Victoria Wilson in 2012
• Sarah Fletcher and Fiona Godber in 2011
• Paul Stephens and Tabitha Tuckett in 2010

The Mary Piggott Prize

The Mary Piggott Prize was founded in memory of Mary Piggott, who taught Cataloguing and Classification in the school from 1947-1974, and is awarded to a student on the MA or Postgraduate Diploma in LIS for outstanding achievement in Cataloguing and Classification. The prize was awarded to: 

• Sophia Benko, Bethany Ellis, Yvonne Lee and Barbara Roberts in 2025
• Tessa Roynon, Simone Monti, Cadence Ware, and Isabel Evans in 2024
• Victoria Gray and Dan Haynes in 2023
• Brooke Cambie and Andrew Frampton in 2022
• David Smith in 2021
• Jess Miller in 2020
• Chris Fripp in 2019
• Catherine Chorley, Cathy Goodin and Anna Zajda in 2018
• Eve Burman-Lacey in 2017
• Lauran Richards in 2016
• Emily Delahaye and Elżbieta Szubarczyk in 2015
• Dorothy Fouracre and Julija Paskova in 2014
• Ed Lacey in 2013
• Evelyn Jamieson in 2012
• Fiona Godber in 2011
• Lesley Ruthven and Tabitha Tuckett in 2010

National Prizes

The CILIP Student Prize (awarded 2018-2020) was presented to UCL students, Simon Cloudesley in 2020, Lucy Royle in 2019 and Eve Burman Lacey in 2018. 

The Sherif Student prize was awarded to UCL students Mansi Dhokia in 2024, Oona Ylinen in 2023, Catherine Drewry in 2022, Amelia Brookins in 2021, Abigail Chapman in 2020, Morgan Wilkinson in 2018 and Alex Keane in 2017. 

The E.T. Bryant Memorial Prize was awarded to UCL students Emily Peart in 2025, Richard Douglas in 2024, Andrew Frampton in 2022, Amy McMullen in 2018, Julia Paskova in 2014, Amelie Roper in 2005 and Catherine Wilson in 1998.

The BIALL Student Award was awarded to UCL students Emily Peart in 2024 and Chris Cooper in 2009.