Awarded 1984–2009. Sponsored by Library Journal. Discontinued in February 2009.
Definition and Criteria
This award recognized a publisher, bookseller and/or software dealer, foundation or similar group (that is, not an individual) which deserved national recognition for the advancement of literacy.
Criteria used for judging nominations included: (1) amount of support given to libraries for literacy projects; (2) evidence of long-term commitment to literacy; and (3) encouragement provided to other groups to undertake similar activity.
Past Recipients
- 2009 Project Read, San Francisco Public Library
- 2008 Mid South Reads (Tenn.)
- 2007 Jacksonville (Fla.) Public Library Foundation
- 2006 READ San Diego
- 2005 Verizon Foundation
- 2004 Elizabeth Fischer, Subrata De (producers), Tom Brokaw (news anchor) of Dateline NBC, NBC News for the one-hour documentary " A Loss for Words"
- 2003 Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities—Prime Time Family Reading Time
- 2002 Center for Literacy,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 2001 The Providence Journal (R.I.)
- 2000 Starbucks Foundation (Seattle, Wash.)
- 1999 Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund and Mount Clemens Rotary Club [co-winners]
- 1998 Second Start Adult Literacy Program (Oakland, Calif.)
- 1997 Signal Hill Publications
- 1996 Illinois Secretary of State
- 1995 Warner Cable—Columbus Division
- 1994 California State Library Foundation
- 1993 Friends of Literacy through Libraries (Broward County, Fla.)
- 1992 Bell Atlantic Foundation
- 1991 Baker & Taylor
- 1990 Michigan Literacy, Inc.
- 1989 Project Plus
- 1988 Gannett Foundation
- 1987 Fearon Publications
- 1986 New Readers Press
- 1985 B. Dalton Bookseller