Applications are being accepted for the 2021 Library of Congress Literacy Awards from Jan. 15 to March 5. The awards are made possible through the generosity of philanthropist David M. Rubenstein.

The Literacy Awards — established by the Library of Congress and Rubenstein — were first conferred in 2013 to honor and support organizations working to promote literacy both in the United States and abroad. The awards encourage the continuing development of innovative methods for promoting literacy and the dissemination of the most successful practices.

The awards are intended to draw public attention to the importance of literacy and the need to promote literacy and encourage reading. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will make the final selection of the prize winners with recommendations from an advisory board of literacy experts.

Three prizes will be awarded in 2021:

• The David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000) is awarded for an outstanding and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels. The prize is awarded to an organization based either in the United States or abroad that has demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth in its commitment to the advancement of literacy.
• The American Prize ($50,000) is awarded for a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels or the national awareness of the importance of literacy. The prize is awarded to an organization that is based in the United States.
• The International Prize ($50,000) is awarded for a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in a country other than the United States. The prize is awarded to an organization that is based either in the United States or abroad.

Other organizations will be honored for their successful practices in various areas of literacy promotion.

The application rules and a downloadable application form may be accessed at read.gov/literacyawards. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 5, 2021.

A live webinar on the application process will be held on Jan. 28 from 3 – 4 p.m. ET. Please visit www.read.gov/literacyawards/apply.html for details about registering. Attendees must register in advance. The webinar will be recorded and made available on the Literacy Awards webpage.

The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program is administered by the Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives Office, a unit of the Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement at the Library of Congress.

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