2018 Freedom Through Literacy Press Release

 pastedGraphic.png
NEWS RELEASE  
CONTACT:  Cathy Leiber
484-661-6151
Judith’s Reading Room Announces Its 2018 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award

Changes to the 2018 Award will encourage teachers, librarians, and authors

January 29, 2018 — Lehigh Valley, Pa.  Judith’s Reading Room, a non-profit literacy organization founded in 2010, is currently accepting applications for its 2018 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award.  Changes to the 2018 Award will encourage  teachers, librarians and authors both here and around the world.

The 4th annual “Freedom Through Literacy” Award, the signature element of Judith’s Reading Room, will honor a Top Prize winner with $3,000 cash.  The “Judith’s Award,” a new prize category, in the amount of $500, is designed exclusively for teachers, librarians and authors.  They are also eligible to win the Top Prize.  

A second new prize is announced today:  Prize totals vary — up to a total of $1,000 — Board members will nominate, on a rolling basis, champions of literacy.  Called
“Board Option” this prize engages board members to be “on the lookout,” constantly, for exemplary individuals whose work instills in others a love of reading. 

Applications for the 2018 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award are available on line at www.JudithsReadingRoom.org/APPLY.  Anyone working in the field of literacy — teachers, librarians, authors, educators, booksellers — is encouraged to apply.  Deadline for Applications: July 6, 2018.  

Since its inception in 2010,  Judith’s Reading Room has dedicated 95 libraries in 18 countries with over 127,000 books valued at nearly $1.4 million dollars.  Since 2015, $24,500 cash has been awarded to winners of the “Freedom Through Literacy” Award.

Por fin or finally as we say in English! Here is a foto of a few of our 162 “card-carrying” library enthusiasts waiting eagerly to get their hands on the new books donated by Judith’s Reading Room. Just as there are only a very few of the kids in the foto, it is also only a portion of the books that were purchased with your generous donation. The others flew off the shelves before the foto could be made. Not a day goes by that one of the books that Judith’s Reading Room purchased is not being checked out for the enjoyment of our kids. We can’t thank you enough….
Joy O’Brien, Program Director of the Palapa Children’s Library (Biblioteca Infantil), Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Children at Anjali House, Cambodia

A new photo of children using our books at Anjali House, Cambodia.

Anjali House is a local NGO that is supporting 120 students and their families through education, basic care and the arts. All the children and young adults from 5 to 19 years old come from impoverished families who can’t afford the cost of education and most of the time can only provide a meal a day.

Here is a lshort video that introduces Anjali House

GRAND PRIZE WINNER- 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award



National Book Foundation, New York, for their 10 year old literacy project titled, “BookUp.” BookUp is a reading program that serves more than 500 middle school aged children, older teens and young adults, led by published writers in four states. Students discuss quality literature in a book club format, go on field trips to cultural institutions and receive free books to build their home libraries. The Grand Prize award is valued at $3,000.  Visit National Book Foundation

2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award Winners Announced

pastedGraphic.png NEWS RELEASE  
CONTACT:  Cathy Leiber
484-661-6151

2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award Winners Announced

July 24, 2017 — Lehigh Valley, Pa. — Judith’s Reading Room proudly announces this year’s Top Prize winner of its 3rd annual Freedom Through Literacy Award is Lisa Lucas, National Book Foundation, New York, for their 10 year old literacy project titled, “BookUp.” BookUp is a reading program that serves more than 500 middle school aged children, older teens and young adults, led by published writers in four states. Students discuss quality literature in a book club format, go on field trips to cultural institutions and receive free books to build their home libraries. The Top Prize award is valued at $3,000.

William Whipple, Easton, Pa, will receive $1,000 for his passionate work with TEACH Rwanda and its project called, “Stories in Kinyarwanda.” Children’s literature in Rwanda is an emerging endeavor and TEACH Rwanda is determined to improve the quality and accessibility of culturally genuine, captivating Rwandan literature for young children. TEACH Rwanda was also a Runner-Up in 2016.

This year’s Honorable Mention is awarded to The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, Mexico. Founded in 2003, this grassroots nonprofit promotes the “love of reading” and bringing literacy to communities without the means or access to books given their high cost and limited availability in Mexico. To support their children’s library, Judith’s Reading Room will purchase $500 worth of new books.

Judith’s Reading Room, a literacy nonprofit based in the Lehigh Valley, Pa, was founded in 2010 in memory of Judith Krug, first cousin to the founders. Judy, a librarian, dedicated her 40 year career at the American Library Association to protect the freedom to read. The mission of Judith’s Reading Room is to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy. To date, the organization has fulfilled that mission by shipping more than 127,000 books to deployed troops and dedicating 95 libraries in 18 countries with books valued at nearly $1.4 million dollars.

Visit our Freedom Through Literacy Award Page

RUNNER UP – 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award



William Whipple, Easton, Pa, will receive $1,000 for his passionate work with TEACH Rwanda and its project called, “Stories in Kinyarwanda.” Children’s literature in Rwanda is an emerging endeavor and TEACH Rwanda is determined to improve the quality and accessibility of culturally genuine, captivating Rwandan literature for young children. TEACH Rwanda was also a Runner-Up in 2016. Visit Teach Rwanda

HONORABLE MENTION – 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award







This year’s Honorable Mention is awarded to The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, Mexico. Founded in 2003, this grassroots nonprofit promotes the “love of reading” and bringing literacy to communities without the means or access to books given their high cost and limited availability in Mexico. To support their children’s library, Judith’s Reading Room will purchase $500 worth of new books. Visit The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, Mexico

Dear Cathy,

On behalf of the Palapa Society of Todos Santos, I wanted to let you know that your generous check and beautiful certificate from Judith’s Reading Room were received today. I am leaving for Todos Santos in 2 weeks so the check will be deposited in about three weeks when I arrive.

We are thrilled with the recognition and will use the funds wisely to purchase children’s books (as indicated) and continue the work of literacy in Todos Santos.

Thank you again for this honor.

Sincerely,
Kathy Warnert
Palapa Society of Todos Santos

Dear Ms Leiber,

On behalf of The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, we were delighted to learn of the Honorable mention for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award. This is a great honor and will inspire the many people who work hard to foster bilingual literacy in the greater Todos Santos area.

Please accept our gratitude. We recognize that literacy is the key to future opportunities and we sincerely appreciate this recognition from your organization. We plan to share this news with the students, families, and teacher who will be proud of their achievements.

Sincerely,
Kathy Warnert
Palapa Society of Todos Santos

2017 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award July 7 Midnight Deadline Approaches

pastedGraphic.png NEWS RELEASE  
CONTACT:  Cathy Leiber
484-661-6151
 2017 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award
July 7 Midnight Deadline Approaches

July 5, 2017 — Lehigh Valley, Pa.   Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization founded in 2010, reminds the public that the application for its 3rd annual “Freedom Through Literacy Award” is Friday, July 7 at midnight.  The application is available at www.judithsreadingroom.org.

The Award honors individual champions of literacy from all disciplines around the world — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators, literacy non-profit leaders — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading.  Top prize is $3,000 and one runner-up will be awarded $1,000.  An honorable mention will be eligible to win $500 value in new books.

One change marks the 2017 Award:  First, Judith’s Reading Room will accept “nominations by self” and also nominations for others.  Therefore, if you are a student or a parent of a student and you love your teacher or librarian:  nominate them!

Since its inception, Judith’s Reading Room has established 95 libraries in 18  countries filled with more than 127,000 books valued at nearly $1.4 million. Judith’s Reading Room founded the “Freedom Through Literacy” Award in 2015.

Librarian “Walks the Talk”

Reading in Resita City, Romania


The story here is that one fabulous librarian “walks the talk” when encouraging children to learn to read! Dominique Zara, municipal librarian in Restia City, Romania who is on maternity leave shared these wonderful photos of her 11 month old daughter and “she really love to read her but more than this she love to watch books herself. And I am very proud of her and happy because of this books she knows all the animals and plants and many things!”.

On September 8, 2014, UNESCO’s International Literacy Day, five libraries were dedicated in Resita City, Romania. The five libraries, one of which is named the Judith’s Reading Room Library, serves 70,000 residents. The request from municipal librarian, Dominique Zara, is for a total of 6,000-7,000 books, including books to teach English to city politicians. Her goal with respect to that audience is to demonstrate that a library is an indispensable asset in a city and that librarians can do great things for all citizens.

Dominique told me that the 5 Judith’s Reading Room libraries in Resita City continue to provide opportunities for children to learn English.  When she returns to work from maternity leave she will institute a reading program for the elderly and children.

Judith’s Reading Room Announces Changes to its 2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award”

redbluetranslogo
Judith’s Reading Room Announces Changes to its

2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award”

Lehigh Valley, Pa. – February 19, 2017 — Judith’s Reading Room, a local literacy nonprofit organization founded in 2010, announces changes to its third annual Freedom Through Literacy Award. The Award honors individual champions of literacy from all disciplines around the world — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading.

Two changes were voted unanimously by the organization’s Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting that materially affect the organization’s 2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award.”

First, in order to continue funding the Award into the future, without solicitation for contributions, the Board voted to change the prize money structure for the Award. Beginning with the 2017 Award, the top prize winner will receive $3,000 cash and one (1) runner-up will receive $1,000 cash. One Honorable Mention will receive $500 worth of new books to support their program.

Second, in order to conserve resources and to recognize that any international winner would most likely not be able to fly to the United States to attend an award dinner, the organization will not announce its winners at the Keystone State Reading Association conference. Instead, winners will be announced on the organization’s website and through social media no later than the end of July, 2017.

The Application for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award is available on line and the deadline for applications is July 7, 2017.

Since its inception, Judith’s Reading Room has dedicated 95 libraries in 18 countries containing 127,179 books worth nearly $1.4 million.

  • Donate Now

    We ask that you please make a donation to Judith’s Reading Room, in support of our ongoing recognition of what is being accomplished in the great world of literacy, as well as funding our shipment of children’s books, both domestically and internationally.