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Awarded 1984–2009. Sponsored by Library Journal. Discontinued in February 2009.

Definition and Criteria

This award recognized a publisher, bookseller and/or software dealer, foundation or similar group (that is, not an individual) which deserved national recognition for the advancement of literacy.

Criteria used for judging nominations included: (1) amount of support given to libraries for literacy projects; (2) evidence of long-term commitment to literacy; and (3) encouragement provided to other groups to undertake similar activity.

Past Recipients

• 2009 Project Read, San Francisco Public Library
• 2008 Mid South Reads (Tenn.)
• 2007 Jacksonville (Fla.) Public Library Foundation
• 2006 READ San Diego
• 2005 Verizon Foundation
• 2004 Elizabeth Fischer, Subrata De (producers), Tom Brokaw (news anchor) of Dateline NBC, NBC News for the one-hour documentary " A Loss for Words"
• 2003 Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities—Prime Time Family Reading Time
• 2002 Center for Literacy,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 2001 The Providence Journal (R.I.)
• 2000 Starbucks Foundation (Seattle, Wash.)
• 1999 Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund and Mount Clemens Rotary Club [co-winners]
• 1998 Second Start Adult Literacy Program (Oakland, Calif.)
• 1997 Signal Hill Publications
• 1996 Illinois Secretary of State
• 1995 Warner Cable—Columbus Division
• 1994 California State Library Foundation
• 1993 Friends of Literacy through Libraries (Broward County, Fla.)
• 1992 Bell Atlantic Foundation
• 1991 Baker & Taylor
• 1990 Michigan Literacy, Inc.
• 1989 Project Plus
• 1988 Gannett Foundation
• 1987 Fearon Publications
• 1986 New Readers Press
• 1985 B. Dalton Bookseller