- Benay Hicks
- Sep 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 15
For Immediate Release
Contact: Benay Hicks, Chief External Relations Officer
857-225-5039
Book Harvest’s “Books from Birth” Initiative Named a Library of Congress Literacy Awards Successful Practice Honoree
Durham, N.C. (September 8, 2025) — Book Harvest announced today that its Books from Birth program has been recognized by the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program as a Successful Practice Honoree. The honor—announced today, on International Literacy Day—celebrates organizations advancing exemplary, innovative, sustainable, and replicable strategies to promote literacy and reading around the world.
Books from Birth partners with hospital systems so that newborns leave the hospital with a starter home library of 10 brand new board books, along with resources that support family reading routines at home, which in turn fuel early relational health. Books from Birth is integrated into hospital birthing floors, where nurses serve as trusted messengers introducing families to the power of reading. This model makes book ownership a universal experience, embedding literacy into standard healthcare protocols in a way that is scalable and transformative.
The program is part of Book Harvest’s broader suite of initiatives which work together to realize the organization’s mission of books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community.
“This recognition shines a light on parents as a child’s first and best teacher, and on the power of building a home library from day one,” said Michelle Sioson Hyman, Senior Director of Books from Birth. “Through Books from Birth, families take home a starter library and simple tools to make storytime a joyful, everyday practice in a child’s earliest days, weeks, and months. We’re honored that the Library of Congress sees this as a model that can help unlock literacy for newborns and their families everywhere.”
As one of only 15 Successful Practice Honorees, Book Harvest will receive a $10,000 cash award and will be recognized alongside fellow awardees at the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Symposium and Recognition Event in Washington, D.C., in October 2025.
“I have always believed that a home library can change a child’s life—and a parent’s, too. From the very first days of a baby’s life, books open the door to connection, learning, and joy,” said Ginger Young, Founder and CEO of Book Harvest. “This recognition from the Library of Congress affirms what families and communities already know: when parents are equipped with books and support from the start, they are empowered as their child’s first and most important teachers, laying a foundation for a lifetime of flourishing literacy.”
About the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program (2025 Highlights):
24 organizations were recognized this year.
Four organizations received top awards for outstanding contributions to expanding
literacy and promoting reading.
15 additional organizations were honored for successful practices, and five early-stage initiatives were recognized for significant promise.
Since its establishment in 2013, and with generous, ongoing support from David M. Rubenstein (since 2013) and the Kislak Family Foundation (since 2023), the program has awarded more than $4.3 million to 220+ organizations in 42 countries.
Learn more and explore the interactive program map: www.loc.gov/literacy
The 2026 Literacy Awards application will open in January 2026.
International Literacy Day details: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/literacyday
About Book Harvest:
Book Harvest’s mission is books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy, Book Harvest has provided more than 2.8 million books to children and families since its founding in 2011, ensuring that children grow up from birth owning an abundance of books and that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy for a lifetime. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books. Learn more at bookharvest.org.
Access the Book Harvest brand guide, including logos, photos, and videos: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/
Note to editors:
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program is administered by the Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives Office within the Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement at the Library of Congress. A recognition symposium for 2025 awardees will take place in October at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
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