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.