Banco del Libro wins Astrid Lindgren Award

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2007 has been won by the Venezuelan institution Banco del Libro.

The  Award, established by the Swedish Government in 2002, is the world’s largest children’s and young people’s literary award. The annual international prize of SEK 5 million (about £360,000) may be awarded to authors, illustrators, narrators and/or promoters of reading whose work reflects the spirit of children's writer Astrid Lindgren. The object of the award is to increase interest in children’s and young people’s literature, and to promote children’s rights to culture on a global level.

The Award jury said that: “In a true pioneering spirit, with ingenuity and a sheer determination, the Banco del Libro has constantly sought new ways of disseminating books and promoting reading among children in Venezuela. Enthusiasm, professionalism, closeness to the children and a refreshing lack of bureaucracy are the hallmarks of the Banco del Libro’s work, whether in shanty towns, mountain villages, universities or out in cyberspace.”

Banco del Libro

Banco del Libro is a non-profit institution based in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. The foundations were laid in 1960, when a centre was set up for the exchange of textbooks – hence the name Banco del Libro (Book Bank). Since then, with great creativity and flexibility, Banco del Libro has grown and branched out to promote reading in Venezuela, in every conceivable arena and genre of children’s literature.

For almost half a century, the Banco del Libro, through its many and various projects, has passed on books and stimulated an appetite for reading and writing among countless numbers of children and young people. They have also constructed model libraries, started up school library networks, founded a publishing company specialising in children’s literature and published magazines and other publications.

Banco del Libro runs Latin America’s biggest documentation centre for children’s literature and functions as a nursery for young researchers, authors, illustrators and others. The Institution has made a lasting impact on the world of children’s literature in Venezuela, and its work has inspired many successors in Latin America and other parts of the world.

Article first published: 15.03.2007