Penguin Random and National Book Foundation Launch National Readathon

Publishers Lunch

January 24, 2015 has been proclaimed National Readathon Day, a "marathon reading" session across the country to raise money in order to help fund the National Book Foundation's efforts to promote literacy and reading. The "quixotic new event" was created by Penguin Random House, which brought to the idea to the NBF this summer, the Washington Post reports. NBF executive director Harold Augenbraum calls it "a terrific opportunity to broaden the awareness in communities across the country and to infuse funds into our community-based programs." PRH is joined by Goodreads and Mashable as co-sponsors.

Individuals and reading "teams" (which can be affiliated with local stores and libraries) will read for four hours straight; readers are supposed to enlist sponsors/donors, as with a charity walkathon, to pledge money in support of their reading.