Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and novelist, poet, and bookstore owner Louise Erdrich have been named the winners of the 2017 Women's National Book Association Awards. Hayden and Erdrich will be honored at the WNBA’s centennial celebration on October 28 in New York.
The award, which was founded in 1940, is presented every other year to, according to the WNBA, "a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books and allied arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation."
This year, in commemoration of the WBNA’s Centennial, the organization decided to honor two women, rather than one, who represent different aspects of the industry—Hayden, for her involvement in the business of books, and Erdrich, for her involvement in the creation of them.
"We are thrilled to be honoring two remarkable book women this year with WNBA Centennial Award," WNBA national President Jane Kinney-Denning said in a statement."These two women, via their work, have made significant cultural and societal contributions [that] are deserving of this prestigious award."
