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Home » WNBA Award

The WNBA Award is presented by the members of the WNBA to 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.” The award has been presented continuously since 1940. Originally, the award was named the Constance Lindsay Skinner Award. Its namesake was a playwright, critic, editor, and author active from early in the 20th century until her death in 1939. Constance Lindsay Skinner was a member of the New York City chapter, one of the founders of our Bookwoman Newsletter, and one of the first female editors in adult book publishing in the United States. The award was originally awarded annually. Since 1976, it has been presented every other year. WNBA Award Nomination Requirements
  • To nominate, you must be a WNBA member in good standing (your dues have been paid for the 2022-2023 membership year, which began June 1, 2022)
  • You may nominate as an individual or as part of your chapter
  • The nominee need not be a WNBA member
Consider These Factors When Choosing a Nominee Your nominee may be an author, bookseller, publisher, librarian, an agent, a journalist, and so forth. The particulars of her profession matter less than what she has done and continues to do to benefit the community of the book. Ask yourself:
  • What has this woman accomplished beyond her regular professional obligations?
  • The key consideration is “meritorious work beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession” — being good at what she is paid to do is not enough. She should be notable for her actions and commitment beyond her professional duties.
  • Does the person have a national profile or presence?
  • A woman who’s a powerhouse in your community may be unknown beyond your region.
  • Has the person been recognized a lot by other organizations?
  • We are looking for a notable woman who may not have been recognized previously though her contributions to the world of books merit it.
  • We’re looking for an honoree who doesn’t already have a shelf full of awards — we want the WNBA Award to mean something to her.
  • Will honoring this person bring mutual energy to her activities as well as to WNBA?
  • A great example is Lisa Lucas, our 2019 honoree. When she spoke at our WNBA Award event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, she addressed us for the twenty minutes we had suggested, then said, “But I have more to say.” And proceeded to elaborate on her goals and ideas because she had an engaged sympathetic audience.
  • Will she be likely to attend our WNBA Award event, to be held in conjunction with our 2023 National Meeting in Boston in June?
  • Our awards ceremony will be held in person in June, and we want to celebrate with the award winner.

The WNBA Award’s Origins

The award was formerly known as the Constance Lindsay Skinner Award. Its namesake was a playwright, critic, editor, and author active from early in the 20th century until her death in 1939. Constance Lindsay Skinner (CLS) was a member of the New York City chapter, one of the founders of our Bookwoman Newsletter, and one of the first female editors in adult book publishing in the United States. Constance Lindsay Skinner was a WNBA beacon who envisioned expanding the organization’s membership across the country. In addition to her professional work as a writer, she provided initial funding for Bookwoman, which led to the formation of chapters in different cities. This capsule biography offers a taste of her life:
“Born in 1879 at a trading post in British Columbia, CLS became famous as a novelist, historian, juvenile book author, dramatist, and at the time of her death in 1939, editor of the Rivers of America series. Her American frontier stories included ‘Silent Scot: Frontier Scout’ (1925) and ‘Red Man’s Luck’ (1931) and the historical ‘Adventures in Oregon’ (1920). She spent her childhood among fur traders, Indians, and mounted police. She attended school in Vancouver, wrote her first story when she was 5, produced her own 3-act operetta at 14, contributed to newspapers at 16, and while still in her teens got a job on a Los Angeles newspaper. Later she moved to New York and wrote fiction, poetry, and historical books. Articles and motion pictures made of her works are still in use in schools.” (Bookwoman, Vol. 27, no. 1, May 1964)

The Constance Lindsay Skinner Award was awarded the year after her death to honor her contributions to the literary world.

In 1980, the WNBA wrote the book Constance Lindsay Skinner: Author and Editor to help keep this literary pioneer’s memory alive.

Read the award announcements for our most recent winners:

WNBA Award Winners

Year Name
2021 Hannah Oliver Depp, Owner of Loyalty Book Stores in Washington, D.C. and Silver Spring, Maryland
2019 Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation
2017 Carla Hayden, 14th Librarian of Congress Louise Erdrich, author, bookstore owner, and voice for indigenous communities
2015 Amy King, Poet, professor, and activist
2012 Ann Patchett, Author and bookstore owner
2010 Masha Hamilton, International journalist, author, women’s activist.
2008 Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Author, musician and Rock Bottom Remainders founder
2006 Perri Klass, MD, promoter of literacy, and professor of pediatrics
2004 Nancy Pearl, Author, librarian, book reviewer, and radio talk show personality.
2002 Patricia McKissack, Author
2000 Hon. Patricia Schroeder, Former Congresswoman, President and CEO, Assn. of American Publishers
1998 Doris Kearns Goodwin, Historian, author
1996 Carolyn Heilbrun, Author, feminist scholar
1994 Janet Palmer Mullaney, Founder and publisher, literary journal
1992 Jessie Carney Smith, Author, librarian
1990 Barbara Bush, First Lady, literacy advocate
1988 Claire Friedland, Book production specialist
1986 Ann Heidbreder Eastman, Bookwoman
1984 Effie Lee Morris, Librarian
1982 Barbara Tuchman, Author
1980 Anne Pellowski, Librarian, author
1978 Mary Stahlman Douglas, Book reviewer
1976 Frances Neal Cheney, Educator, author
Helen Honig Meyer, Publisher
Barbara Ringer,  Lawyer, Register of Copyrights
1975 Margaret K. McElderry Children’s book editor
1973 Mary Virginia Gaver, Librarian, educator
1972 Ursula Nordstrom, Children’s book editor
1971 Augusta Baker, School and public librarian
1970 Charlemae Hill Rollins, Librarian, author
1969 Victoria S. Johnson, Public relations professional
1968 Ruth Hill Viguers, Librarian, author
1967 Mildred L. Batchelder, Children’s librarian
1966 Blanche W. Knopf, Publisher
1965 Virginia Mathews, School library consultant
1964 Polly Goodwin, Children’s book reviewer
1963 Rachel Carson, Author
1962 Catherine Drinker Bowen, Author
1961 Eleanor Roosevelt, Former First Lady; author
1960 Pearl Buck, Author
1959 May Hill Arbuthnot, Editor, critic
Marchette Chute, Author
1958 Edith Hamilton, Author
1957 Anne J. Richter, Editor
1956 Mary Ellen Chase, Author
1955 Fanny Butcher, Book reviewer
Bertha Mahoney Miller Editor
1954 Elizabeth Gray Vining, Author, teacher
1953 Lillian C. Gurney, Bookseller
1952 Margaret C. Scroggin, Young people’s librarian
1951 Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Author
1950 May Massee, Children’s book editor
1949 Lucile Micheels Pannell, Bookseller
1948 May Lamberton Becker, Book reviewer
1947 Emily P. Street, Book sales and advertising
1946 Amy Loveman, Editor
1945 Lillian Smith, Author
1944 Mildred C. Smith, Editor
1943 Mary Graham Bonner, Author
1942 Irita Van Doren, Book review editor
1941 Blair Niles, Author
1940 Anne Caroll Moore, Librarian

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