2017 Library of Congress Literacy Awards :: Children’s Literacy Initiative :: NCFL :: Pratham Books

Library Announces Winners of 2017 Literacy Awards

Library of Congress Literacy Awards: 9.01.2017

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the winners of the 2017 Library of Congress Literacy Awards tonight at the Library of Congress National Book Festival gala.

Three organizations received awards from Hayden and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein: the Children’s Literacy Initiative; the National Center for Families and Learning; and Pratham Books.

Originated by Rubenstein in 2013, the Literacy Awards honor organizations working to promote literacy and reading in the United States and worldwide. The awards recognize groups doing exemplary, innovative and replicable work, and they spotlight the need for the global community to unite in striving for universal literacy.

“Literacy is the first line of defense against so many problems—unemployment, hunger, poor health—and gives people a foundation for a brighter future,” Hayden said. “Through the generosity of David M. Rubenstein, the Library of Congress is proud to honor these exemplary organizations for their continued efforts to raise reading levels. Their work is moving and truly life-changing, and it is our privilege to recognize them here tonight.”

Prizes and Recipients

David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000):

Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), Philadelphia

works with pre-K through third-grade teachers to improve early literacy instruction so children become powerful readers, writers and thinkers

American Prize ($50,000):

National Center for Families Learning, Louisville, Kentucky

Established in 1989 by its current president, Sharon Darling, the NCFL works to eliminate poverty through educational solutions for families.

International Prize ($50,000):

Pratham Books, Bangalore, India

has helped millions of children have access to engaging, affordable, multilingual books. In order to scale the creation and distribution of multilingual content, Pratham Books launched StoryWeaver, India’s first open-source, digital repository of multilingual stories.

The Library of Congress Literacy Awards program is also honoring 15 organizations for their implementation of best practices in literacy promotion. These organizations are:

The Asia Foundation, San Francisco

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb, Maine

Centre for Knowledge Assistance and Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam

CODE, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

CommonLit Inc., Washington, D.C.

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities/PRIME TIME, New Orleans

Reading Partners, Oakland, California

Reading Works Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sealaska Heritage Institute, Juneau, Alaska

Serve Minnesota, Minneapolis

State Library of Western Australia - Better Beginnings Family Literacy Program, Perth, Australia

Story Share Inc., Boston

Tales and Travel Memories, Elgin, Illinois

Yayasan Sulinama, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia

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