First Chapter Award: Spotlight on October Jones

Posted on January 16, 2025 in AHEAD, INTO, UK

In a continuation of our organisational focus on the First Chapter Award and the brilliant folk that they recognise across the publishing and books industries, we are delighted to feature October Jones, one of our inaugural 2025 winners of the FCA.

October is a passionate and dedicated children’s librarian with a deep commitment to their literary community. Starting as a library assistant in 2023, they were promoted to Children’s Librarian by 2024. October transformed Downham Library with The Bigger Picture initiative, introducing the community to comics and graphic novels. Known for championing spooky books, October also organises borough-wide programs benefiting children, young people, and families, and regularly contributes to literary festivals and events.

1. In a nutshell, please could you tell us about your role and what a typical day-in-the-life might look like for you?

There is no typical day working as a Children’s Librarian in Public libraries. I’m there to serve my community and their needs. That’s why I love it. 
I can be doing anything from stock ordering/ collection management, to dressing up as a Professor to talk about the ‘Science of Slime’ to 30 children, to attending meetings for the GLL Literary Foundation, to singing to Babies during our Rhyme-times, to delivering BookTrust Storytime Prize at local Nurseries, to running after school activities, to writing up proposals, to renovating library spaces, to planning Author visits, to writing training courses for colleagues, to discussing Information Literacy, to helping my creative kids develop their own horror graphic novels, to being a walking, talking story champion! 
This is then typically followed by attending a book launch, a bookish event, or reading/ reviewing books for my own creative outlets or for a judging panel. It’s honestly a dream. 

I’m there to serve my community and their needs. That’s why I love it. 

October Jones

2. The First Chapter Award celebrates those who support others, show passion for the industry and demonstrate dedication to their goals. Which of your goals are you most proud to have achieved (so far!), and why?

Without a doubt I’d say it’s becoming and being a Children’s Librarian. 

I have been so unbelievably fortunate since starting my career in libraries and I’ve achieved so much in such a short span of time, things I could not even comprehend when starting this journey. 

I’m so grateful to this industry and to be in a position where I’m able to give back to children and families who really need their library, who need these stories, who need support and to be able to do more through these industry partnerships and resources, well, it’s an honour and a real ‘full circle’ moment for me. 

I’ve now volunteered for Children’s Literature festivals, I’ve been an industry judge, I’ve attended and spoke at industry conferences, I’ve transformed 2 libraries, I’ve become the Chairperson for CILIP’s YLG SE, I’ve connected with so many wonderful people, I’ve won this incredible award, I’ve started several creative projects such ‘Around the Cauldron’ podcast coming in April, I’ve written proposals for GLL Libraries that if implemented, could really change the lives of vulnerable children and families, it’s honestly been mind-blowing! 

Every day I think to myself ‘How is this my life?’. That’s the beauty of this bookish world. Its more than ‘just a job’. 

3. What challenges do you anticipate the book and publishing industry facing in the future, and how do you think the publishing and book community could work together to improve the industry?
I think publishing needs to constantly be on the precipice of socio-political and cultural zeitgeist. Given the time frames from submissions to acquisitions through to print and marketing, I anticipate that can be extremely hard, especially in today’s rapid, ever-changing landscape. However, the recent findings from CLPE’s ‘Reflecting Realities’ and recent findings from the National Literacy Trust show that we are in a worryingly critical period for Children’s Literature and Illustration. The industry needs to be looking at holistic approaches to combat this concern, now. 

In terms of working together, my stance is resolutely INVOLVE YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY! Libraries and Librarians offer so much to communities, society, and the publishing industry, and sadly they’re often overlooked. 

It’s vital to remember that libraries are integral to the shared end goal: growing and sustaining generations of readers. 

So, please reach out to us and add us into your think tanks, marketing plans, festival ideas, book launches, Author tours, publisher showcases, industry discussions, partnership collaborations and events – we are community and literary experts – use us! 

It’s vital to remember that libraries are integral to the shared end goal: growing and sustaining generations of readers. 

October Jones

4. What is one piece of advice that you would give to those reading this who want to make a difference in the book and publishing sphere?

I gave quite a lot of advice during the First Chapter Winners panel, such as adopting the ‘Delulu is the Solulu’ mindset, ‘Don’t get fixated on the one route to one destination‘, ‘If not you, then who?’ and so on, but I think my ultimate one piece of advice would be:

‘Be open to the magic of it all’. 

Take that risk, write that thing, reach out to that person, start that project, pitch that idea, apply to that opening. Life changing, amazing things can happen in those moments of vulnerability. 

I’m living proof of that. 

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Thanks so much to October for volunteering her time to speak to us!

The First Chapter Awards recognise early-stage professionals, volunteers and hopefuls within the book community. This award aims to celebrate those in the very early years in the industry – those in the first five years in the industry – and crucially seeks to involve those from different roles within the book ecosystem, from librarians to content creators, aspiring publishers to booksellers.

The award is run by SYP in collaboration with The Publishing Post, two volunteer-run organisations that work to improve the accessibility of the industry.