Library Development Services Letters About Literature

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Library Development Services

Department
- Library, Oregon State
- Divisions

Letters About Literature

About Letters About Literature

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target Stores and in cooperation with affiliate state centers for the book, invites readers in grades 4 through 12 to participate in Letters About Literature, a national reading-writing contest. To enter, readers write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, explaining how that author's work changed the student's way of thinking about the world or themselves.

There are three competition levels: Level I for children in grades 4 through 6; Level II for grades 7 and 8, and Level III, grades 9 - 12. Oregon selects one winner at each competition level. The three winners then go on to participate nationally. Oregon's winners are announced in April and a reception is held in their honor.

For more information email Katie Anderson or call her at 503-378-2528.

Prizes

Nationally, two winners and four honorable mentions are selected at each competition level. Winners each receive a $500 Target gift card and a $10,000 grant to donate to the local public or school library of their choice. Honorable mentions each receive a $100 Target gift card and a $1,000 grant to donate to the local public or school library of their choice.

In Oregon, one winner and one runner-up is selected at each competition level. Judges at each competition level select honorable mentions and semi-finalists at their discretion, therefore the number varies from year to year. In 2007, Oregon had a total of 9 honorable mentions and 94 semi-finalists. Winners receive $100 in cash and a $50 Target gift card, runners-up receive $50, honorable mentions receive a $25 gift card from a bookstore, and semi-finalists receive a $10 gift card from a bookstore.