A FORMER Leigh librarian has been awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Julie Spencer, who has a passion for encouraging people to read, was employed at Leigh Library in the late 1980s as children's services librarian.

Though she is now based at Bolton, Julie is heading a project which involves 18 north west library authorities and was in Leigh this week.

She said: "I'm very pleased and honoured to accept this award," and joked: "I'm sitting here with my tiara on."

While in Leigh between 1986 and 88 Blackrod-born Julie, who now lives with husband, Graham, and children Amy,16, and Thomas, 11, in Aspull, worked with schools in trying to increase the usage of the library service.

She now leads the Everybody's Reading project and is regional co-ordinator for the scheme which is aimed at getting 16 to 25 year olds to read more books and use the libraries.

The Wigan part of the project is based at Leigh Library and managed by Stephen Lythgoe with Joy Brown as outreach worker.

She said: " I believe my award comes for work we have been doing in the region.

"This is for all library services. We are trying to make them more accessible and relevant to the younger generation and want to get away from the stereotype image."