Rothesay Academy librarian Shiona Lawson has been named on a shortlist of six school librarians from across the country for the final of the prestigious UK School Librarian of the Year 2010 competition.

Only one of the other five finalists is from Scotland - from the private Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh. Four of the six finalists work in independent schools. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on Monday 4th October.

Shiona, who was nominated by a former Rothesay Academy pupil, said she was amazed to have been shortlisted.

"I used to play at libraries as a child because I was so interested in books, and I've never lost that fascination," she said.

"I'm very lucky in that I just love what I do - if I had my way I'd work until I was at least 70! But I would never have dreamed that one day my job would put me centre stage in this way. It's a huge honour.

"Working at Rothesay Academy is extremely rewarding, and I will be a very proud representative of the school when I go to London in October."

Shiona is a qualified chartered librarian and has been at Rothesay Academy - part of the Rothesay Joint Campus - for two years, during which time the library stock has been revitalised. It now boasts some 10,000 titles.

She is determined to demolish the librarian stereotype of 'dowdy, old and silent', and is constantly thinking of new ways to lure pupils into the school library. One example is her 'Reading around the World' programme, which uses a mixture of fiction and non-fiction to improve literacy across the curriculum and teach library skills. Pupils 'travel' around the world through reading, evaluating what they are learning as they go.

In addition to her secondary school work, Shiona also manages the Rothesay Primary library. She teaches P7 transition classes and regularly visits the three primary schools on Bute.

She has also become a mentor for the 'Glow project - the national schools' intranet.

Shiona runs a student librarian scheme with eight Rothesay Academy pupils, using the School Library Association's (SLA) Pupil Librarian Toolkit.

She also throws herself into the wider life of the school, not least as creative director of the school show and co-ordinator for Spirit Aid, the school's adopted charity. A comedy night she organised in aid of Spirit Aid's children's projects in Malawi raised £3,500.