National Book Foundation Hosts ‘Why Reading Matters’ Conference

By Dianna Dilworth 

The National Book Foundation is hosting a free event in New York in February called “Why Reading Matters.”

The live panel will feature a panel with the winners of the 2015 Innovations in Reading Prize. The event is dedicated to discussions on how the book industry, educators, librarians and educators can work together to inspire people to read. The keynote is Mark Hecker, executive director of Reach Incorporated, a non-profit that connects challenged teens to become reading tutors for elementary school students. In addition, a panel discussion will include: Kwame Dawes, founder of African Poetry Book Fund; founders Logan Smalley and Stephanie Kent of Call Me Ishmael, William Johnson, managing editor of Lambda Literary, and Todd Boss, co-founder of Motionpoems.

The event is open to the public on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Foundation in New York. Follow this link for more details.