OPPORTUNITY: Seeking Volunteer Librarians

We are seeking volunteer librarians interested in reading some of the best adventure novels to join the review panel for the 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.

Eligibility:

You must be a librarian by trade, work or volunteer in a library. We welcome interest from librarians working in all UK libraries, including schools, universities, public libraries and private libraries, for example. If you fit the bill but have recently retired, we would also be interested to hear from you. You must be UK-based.

What is involved?

We will supply you with digital copies of novels entered for the 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for review between February and April. These books will all be fiction, and fit our definition of adventure writing. 

Each novel will be read by multiple reviewers. The exact numbers will be dependent on how many novels are submitted, but you will be assigned no more than fifteen titles, unless you would like more. We take the security of these novels seriously. Each novel has been entrusted to the Prize and each file will be secured to ensure the author’s work is protected.

Key Dates:

We will host a group training session on Zoom, sharing our guided review process so you know what to look for in the novels you are allocated. You must be available for this hour-long training session on either Tuesday 3rd February, 7-8pm, or Wednesday 4th February, 1-2pm. 

We will host a roundtable discussion led by the Foundation in London on Friday 17th April. We anticipate this will be 11am-4pm and lunch will be provided. We can offer a £75 honorarium or up to £75 to cover travel expenses.

You must come prepared to discuss, advocate and vote for those at the top of your reading list, as these discussions will lead to finalising the long and shortlists for the 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, worth £10,000 to the winning author. 

Previous winners include Babylonia by Costanza Casati (2025), Saltblood by Francesca de Tores (2024), No Country for Girls by Emma Styles (2023), Where Blood Runs Cold by Giles Kristian (2022), Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce (2021), Firefly by Henry Porter (2019), and A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee (2018).

What is in it for you?

For those with an interest in the genre and a desire to keep up to date with recent publications, this is a chance to explore some of the best adventure fiction today. You will meet like-minded people and enjoy a new experience while demystifying the behind-the-scenes workings of an global book prize.

This role is voluntary. You will receive either a £75 voucher of your choosing (book tokens, Amazon, Marks & Spencer etc.) for your participation or travel expenses up to the same value.

Express your interest: 

To express your interest, please email Charlotte Maddox, Prize Manager at charlotte@wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org, telling us in under 200 words why you would like to be part of the review panel and a little about your experience as a librarian or working in a library.

We are seeking reviewers from a range of backgrounds, to bring diverse opinions to the process. Please also supply as much of the following information as you are comfortable with, alongside your expression of interest:

  • Where you work/worked as a librarian
  • How long you have been a librarian
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Nationality
  • Education level

Deadline for expressions of interest: Sunday 25th January 2026, end of day.

You will be notified if you have been selected to be part of the panel on Tuesday 27th January 2026.

If you have any queries, please email Charlotte Maddox at charlotte@wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org.