James Patterson: Champion of Literacy

Library of Congress Names James Patterson 'Champion' – of Literacy
PW: 11.05.2013 by Ingrid Roper

On November 4, 2013 the Library of Congress welcomed bestselling adult and children’s author James Patterson as the first Champion of the Young Readers Center. The five-year-old Center is the only reading room in the Library of Congress with an “Open to the Public” sign in front of its door. (Others require a reader’s card and require that researchers be 16 or older.)

In his keynote speech as part of the 2013 Library of Congress Literacy Awards, Patterson said, “I’m here today to help save some lives. The lives of children all across our country.” He encouraged the audience in the Coolidge Auditorium of the library’s Thomas Jefferson building to become reading missionaries. “Better readers become better thinkers. If kids are not good readers then their chances of getting through high school are slim to none.”  READ MORE!