In 1983 the ASJA Professional Rights Committee (which may be defunct) created the Open Book Awards "to honor courageous defenders of the freedom to read. These unique awards will recognize the courage of journalists, authors, editors, publishers, librarians, booksellers, teachers and students who, in fighting for the freedom to read, protect our society's most valued traditions of openness and choice." The first awards were given Thursday, March 10, 1983 at a dinner meeting at the Warwick Hotel, Sixth Avenue at 54th Street, New York City. The dinner meeting was a joint meeting with the Society of Professional Journalists/ Deadline Club, N.Y., to celebrate First Amendment Day.
| ID # |
YR given |
Given by |
Category | Rank | Recipient | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 338 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Teresa Burnau, high-school teacher | |
| 339 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Rosanne Stead, bookstore manager | |
| 340 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Nat Hentoff, Village Voice columnist | |
| 341 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Michael Sheck, high-school student | |
| 342 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Leo Meirose, librarian | |
| 343 | 1983 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Faith Brunson, department-store book buyer | |
| 334 | 1984 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Tony Podesta, President, People for the American Way | |
| 335 | 1984 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Judith Krug, Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association | |
| 336 | 1984 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Leanne Katz, Executive Director, National Coalition Against Censorship | |
| 337 | 1984 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Michael Bamberger, General Counsel, Media Coalition | |
| 332 | 1989 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | Viking Penguin | |
| 333 | 1989 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | American Library Association | |
| 331 | 1990 | ASJA | Does not apply | Winner | The NEA Nine |