Author Engagement as Inspiration

Provides free signed books to students participating in author visit programs, enhancing engagement and encouraging continued reading. This activity reached 65,000 students citywide according to available evidence.

Tracks student reading growth using assessments such as the Degrees of Reading Power. For example, students at Highbridge Green School showed measurable reading gains over one to three years following program participation.

Provides curriculum-aligned author and artist visit programs to schools across New York City, including customized promotional support, on-site coordination, and post-visit evaluation. The program emphasizes diverse children's and young adult authors and aims to promote literacy and a love of reading.

Raises awareness about the connection between youth incarceration and low literacy by citing data such as 96% of youth in DJJ custody and over 60% in OCFS custody reading below grade level.

Establishes school libraries in juvenile detention centers, non-secure facilities, and residential schools serving court-involved youth by providing physical infrastructure such as shelves, desks, and furniture, and equipping them with curriculum-approved books and library media. This includes creating libraries at all eight Passages Academy locations in collaboration with the NYC Department of Education.

Organizes special events such as author visits, artist engagements, and guest-led activities including former Harlem Globetrotter Jeffery Dollison discussing his book and teaching basketball skills, as well as student trips to performances at the New Victory Theater.

Provides ongoing literacy programming tailored to the reading levels of incarcerated youth, including curated book collections, author visits with peer-led discussions, and distribution of personalized books. Supports library collections to acquire books at three times the rate of state and city funding allocations.

Provides professional development opportunities for staff serving incarcerated youth and supports cross-facility collaboration through initiatives like an e-newsletter for library professionals.

Distributes a monthly national newsletter, The Third Degree, to members featuring articles on the business of writing, the mystery genre, and organizational updates.

Organizes workshops, seminars, and conferences for members and non-members focused on the mystery genre; sponsors literary events with readings by crime writers and literacy programs in public libraries and schools, using writers as readers, mentors, and spokespeople.

Offers educational resources such as MWA University, national conferences, newsletters, and publicity support to help members build and sustain writing careers; maintains the official portal for the Edgar Awards, including submission systems and event information.

Conducts in-school matinees, storytelling workshops, and after-school college readiness programs that connect published authors with students in under-resourced high schools across New York City, including at Union Settlement and Talent Unlimited High School.

Produces the "Seriously Entertaining" live literary series in a dinner-theater format at Joe's Pub and other venues, where authors, poets, journalists, and performers present stories and ideas centered on a theme. The program has featured a diverse range of writers since 2014.

Runs a fleet of Bookmobiles—including a modified box truck with 54 linear feet of shelving—to deliver brand-new books for free to underserved communities in New York City and beyond, distributing over 15,000 books in 2025 and tens of thousands since 2017 across 18 cities in 14 states.

Co-hosts public literary events with organizations such as The New Yorker, including author showcases and student poetry performances, to amplify visibility and engagement with literary arts.

Creates and releases podcast episodes featuring prominent writers and poets presenting personal and literary narratives, such as in the episode titled "The Razor’s Edge," extending the reach of its literary programming beyond live events.

Distributes interdisciplinary creative arts toolkits and provides access to multimedia presentations for educators through the Teacher Network to support classroom integration of literary and artistic content.

Commissions and publishes research, including a white paper titled "The Inside Story" and a collaborative best practices study with Teachers College at Columbia University, to inform and advance culturally responsive literacy engagement strategies.