Innovations in Reading Prize explained

The Innovations in Reading Prize was an annual award given to organizations and individuals who "developed innovative means of creating and sustaining a lifelong love of reading."^[1] The prize was awarded by the National Book Foundation, presenter of the National Book Awards. The Innovations in Reading prize was founded in 2009, and from 2009 to 2014, the National Book Foundation recognized up to five winners, who each received $2,500. Beginning in 2015, the Foundation began recognizing a single $10,000 prize winner each year, as well as four honorable mentions. In 2018, the Foundation began recognizing each honorable mention organization with a $1,000 prize. The final award was given out in 2020.^[1]

Innovations in Reading prize winners

2009

• Fathers Bridging the Miles (A Program of Read to Me International)
• Maricopa County Library District
• James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead.com
• readergirlz
• Robert Wilder

2010

• Cellpoems
• 826 Valencia
• Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
• Mount Olive Baptist Church
• United Through Reading

2011

• Burton Freeman for My Own Book
• Kore Press
• Electric Literature/Electric Publisher
• YARN, the Young Adult Review Network

2012

• Bookends: A Television Program for Teens Who Like to Read
• Lilli Leight
• Literacy Chicago for Reading Against the Odds
• Street Books
• Inger Upchurch for Real Men Read Storytime and Mentoring

2013

• City National Bank for Reading Is the Way Up
• Little Free Library
• The Uni Project
• The Uprise Books Project
• Worldreader

2014

• Blue Star Families' Books on Bases
• Books For Kids
• Chicago Books to Women in Prison
• Hopa Mountain's Storymakers Program
• Las Comadres Para Las Americas

2015

• Reach Incorporated^[2]

2016

• Next Chapter Book Club^[3]

2017

• Barbershop Books^[4]

2018

• Teach This Poem^[5]

Innovations in Reading Honorable Mentions

2015

• African Poetry Book Fund
• Call Me Ishmael
• Lambda Literary
• MotionPoems

2016^[6]

• The Harry Potter Alliance
• LGBT Books to Prisoners
• Limitless Libraries
• Traveling Stories

2017^[7]

• Books@Work
• Great Reading Games from Learning Ally
• Poetry-in-Motion
• Reach Out and Read

2018^[8]

• The Appalachian Prison Book Project
• Friends of the Homer Library
• Jewish Women International's Library Initiative
• Words Without Borders Campus

2019

• West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC)^[9]

2020

• DIBS for Kids^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: National Book Foundation - Innovations in Reading.
2. News: National Book Foundation Celebrates Innovators Of Reading Encouraging Philanthropy For More Literacy. Baker. Jennifer. Forbes. 2017-06-16.
3. News: Next Chapter Book Club Wins Innovations in Reading Prize. PublishersWeekly.com. 2017-06-16.
4. Web site: Local nonprofit brings books into barbershops to help improve childhood literacy. 2017-06-15. New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV. 2017-06-16.
5. Web site: 'Teach This Poem' is on a mission to help teachers and students understand the world. Franklin. M. J.. Mashable. 10 May 2018. 2018-12-04.
6. Web site: 2016 Innovations in Reading Prize winners make the world better, one book at a time. Franklin. M. J.. Mashable. 2 May 2016. 2017-06-16.
7. News: The Innovations In Reading Prize 2017 Goes To Barbershop Books, For Helping Young Black Boys Identify As Readers. Oulton. Emma. Bustle. 2017-06-16.
8. Web site: 'Teach This Poem' is on a mission to help teachers and students understand the world. Franklin. M. J.. Mashable. 10 May 2018. 2018-12-04.
9. Web site: Trombetta . Sadie . This Nonprofit Is On A Mission To Bring Libraries To Philadelphia Public Schools . Bustle . 17 February 2024.
10. Web site: Kantor . Emma . National Book Foundation Announces Innovations in Reading Prize . Publishers Weekly . 17 February 2024 . 5 May 2020.