2016 Freedom Through Literacy Award Winner
Ms. Kelly Stoops, Allentown, PA

Lehigh Valley, Pa. Judith’s Reading Room kicked off its 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award over the weekend at the 2016 Keystone State Reading Association’s (KSRA) 49th annual conference in Seven Springs, PA. Board members staffed a display that highlighted the organization’s 2016 Award winners and encouraged conference attendees to apply for the 2017 Award. The conference attracted 350 reading specialists, authors, librarians, booksellers, and literacy experts representing myriad disciplines.

The 3rd annual $10,000 Freedom Through Literacy Award, a signature element of Judith’s Reading Room, a non-profit literacy organization founded in memory of Judith Krug, a librarian whose career spanned 40 years with the American Library Association, will honor six individual champions of literacy at KSRAs 50th annual conference in Hershey, PA, October 8-11, 2017. Award winners will headline a bestpractices panel at the conference to demonstrate how their award-winning initiatives can be replicated.

Applications for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award are available on line at www.JudithsReadingRoom.org/APPLY. Anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading from anywhere in the world is eligible. The Award carries a top prize of $5,000 and up to five $1,000 runners-up awards.

Deadline for applications is July 7 2017. Individuals may self-nominate or others may nominate their favorite literacy champion.