Judith’s Reading Room
Founded in 2010, Judith’s Reading Room is a 501(c)(3) organization located in eastern Pennsylvania that champions the First Amendment’s guaranteed right to free speech by actively working to overcome restrictions on any person’s freedom to read. We energetically channel this message each day with our aspiration of “Freedom Through Literacy.
108
Libraries
25
Countries
134,000
Donated Books
$1.4 million
Value
“15 Libraries to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary”
15 Years of
Instilling in Others a Life Long Love of Reading
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Judith’s Reading Room in 2025, the global literacy nonprofit founded in the memory of Judith F. Krug, cousin to the founders and a distinguished librarian, embraced a challenge: Dedicate15 new or enhanced Judith’s Reading Room libraries.
We proactively invited a diversity of literacy champions to tell us what they lacked so that we could fill that need and dedicate curated collections.
The 15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary in 2025
- Bright School/TEACH Rwanda, Muhanga, Rwanda
- Escuela ‘Agustin Flores Contreras,’ Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Read for Literacy, “Real Men READ-y”, Toledo, Ohio
- Avery Chapel AME Church, Southaven, Mississippi
- Watch Me Grow Learning Academy, Grenada, Mississippi
- Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem, New York
- Louisiana Methodist Family & Children’s Services, Ruston, Louisiana
- Washington County Juvenile’s ‘Harkins House,’ Portland, Oregon
- Heavy Sound, Edinburgh, Scotland
- James Prendergast Free Library, Jamestown, New York
- Chinle Planting Hope, Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona
- Kirioruwa School, Marabedda, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka
- Vhulakanjhani Primary School, South Africa
- Shree Jantra Adharbhut Vidhyalaya School, Kathmandu, Nepa
- Shree Prasad St. School, Kathmandu, Nepal
Freedom Through Literacy Award
The Freedom Through Literacy Award was established by Judith’s Reading Room in 2015 to identify and honor 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.
”The Freedom Through Literacy Award,” shined spotlight on the transformative power of literacy champions around the globe. From 2015-2024, $58,100 was awarded to 71 people in 18 countries.The program has now ended.
2024 Freedom Through Literacy Winners
GRAND PRIZE AWARD
Brian Okinda, Kenya
Jeska Washington, Rwanda
Marie Yobol-Njonga, Cameroon
JUDIITH’S AWARD WINNER
Amy Allison, State College, PA
BOARD OPTION AWARD WINNERS
Patricia Baum, Mexico
Alicia Dal Pra, Ardsley, NY
Victor Owuor, Kenya
HONORABLE AWARD OPTION WINNERS
Erin Roman, Easton, PA
Stephanie Keiper, Easton, PA
Seraphin Niyonsenga, Rwanda
Pamela Laskin, New York, NY
The Founders’ and The Literary Chair Awards
The Founders’ Award
Established in 2022, The Founders’ Award is in honor of literacy heroes who nourish souls and fulfill dreams by overcoming immense obstacles in order to enrich lives through literacy.
2024 recipient: Jordan Butler, Heavy Sound, Edinburgh, Scotland for his measurable impact on the life of disaffected fellow citizens and his dedication to bring literature into their lives. Jordan is awarded $1,000.
2022 recipients: Ms. Basarat Kazim, Alif Laila Book Bus Society, Lahore, Pakistan, recognized for her commitment to helping overcome the devastating impact of the 2022 deadly flooding across Pakistan; and, Ms. Simon Ke, Anjali House, Siem Reap, Cambodia for her commitment to Cambodia’s poor who suffered disproportionately during COVID-19 and for never abandoning hope for their Mobile Library project. Each was awarded $1,000.
The Literacy Chair Award
Designated in 2022, The Literacy Chair Award was created in honor of, or in the memory of, a champion of literacy nominated by any Judith’s Reading Room’s member of the board.
The 2023 recipients were Librarian Shannon Donovan and LJ Martin, Outreach Coordinator on behalf of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library for their “CCLS Road Trip” project to overcome summer slide.
The 2022 recipient was Dr. Lisette Caesar, past principal, Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem, NY in recognition of her incessant and energetic focus to engage children in reading.
In 2023 the recipients were Librarian Shannon Donovan and LJ Martin, Outreach Coordinator on behalf of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library for their “CCLS Road Trip” project to overcome summer slide.
Literacy Stories Round Table
Champions of Literacy Called to Collaborate Judith’s Reading Room Literacy Stories Round Table event available to be hosted in any location. Critical issues in English-language literacy will be discussed with an action plan for global use by JRR’s libraries.
Collaborations 2010-2024
- Freedom Through Literacy Award Winners dialogue annually, collaborate constantly (Cambodia & NY writing/poetry programs).
- ProJeCt of Easton, PA provided a curated list of the best bi-lingual children’s books for non-English speakers for the organization’s #106 library in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
- Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania librarian provided scholarship from an international perspective on the topic of “Reluctant Readers and Graphic Novels” for its #107th JRR library in Edinburgh, Scotland.