Celebrate Joy for All!
Join us for the 2026 Chicago Public Library Foundation Awards, where Chicago’s most influential storytellers, cultural leaders, and champions of learning come together to celebrate Chicago Public Library’s essential role in expanding access, strengthening communities, and advancing literacy in all its forms.
Making this year’s celebration even more meaningful is the Library Foundation’s 40th anniversary—four decades of donors making the joy of reading and lifelong learning possible for Chicagoans of all ages.
October 13, 2026
The UIC Dorin Forum
725 West Roosevelt Road at Halsted
Complimentary Valet
5:30PM-9:00 PM
Business/Cocktail Attire
Meet the Honorees
Mo Willems
Carl Sandburg Literary Award
Mo Willems is currently the author and illustrator of more than 50 books, featuring beloved characters Knuffle Bunny, the Pigeon, and Elephant & Piggie. To date, Mo has been awarded three Caldecott Honor Awards, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal Awards, five Geisel Honors, six Emmy Awards, and many #1 New York Times best-selling books.
Gabriel Bump
21st Century Award
Gabriel Bump is the author of New York Times notable books, Everywhere You Don’t Belong and The New Naturals. His newest novel, Don’t Stop Snowing, is forthcoming in November 2026. He teaches for the UMass-Amherst MFA for Poets and Writers. He is from the South Shore neighborhood in Chicago.
Event Producer
Donna LaPietra
Sponsors
as of June 01, 2026
Your support funds lifelong learning opportunities for all at Chicago Public Library.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, visit this page for more details or reach out to Kate Nardin at knardin@cplfoundation.org.
Presenting Sponsor
Lead Sponsor
Grand Benefactor Sponsors
Benefactor Sponsors
Patron Sponsors
- Illinois Tool Works, LLC
- Peoples Gas
- WBS Equities, LLC
Premier Individual Supporters
- Erin B. Bodendorfer & Michael Neupert
- Nancy A. Stevenson
Special Thanks
Watch Our 2025 Awards
While you eagerly wait for the release of this year’s broadcast, watch last year’s remarkable Awards presentations featuring honorees Percival Everett, José Olivarez , and Mary Dempsey.