The Library of Virginia will award its honorary Patron of Letters degree to poet, lawyer and Freedom Reads founder Reginald Dwayne Betts, the library announced Tuesday.

The Patron of Letters degree, granted by the Library Board, is the institution’s highest honor. It recognizes significant contributions to history, library science or archival science.

“Dwayne Betts is a powerful example of how literature and access to libraries can transform lives,” said C. Paul Brockwell Jr., chair of the Library Board.

“We are honored to celebrate his work to increase access to literature and the many individuals who will be inspired by libraries he’s established.” 

Betts, who served nine years in Virginia prisons after being sentenced as an adult at 16, founded Freedom Reads to empower incarcerated individuals through literature. The nonprofit has opened more than 300 Freedom Libraries in prisons nationwide, including 56 in Virginia.

Chad Dotson, Virginia Department of Corrections director, said, “The Virginia Department of Corrections greatly appreciates the Freedom Libraries donated by Reginald Dwayne Betts. Reading can unlock newfound passions, provide endless amounts of knowledge, and inspire our inmate population.”

A Yale Law School graduate and 2021 MacArthur Fellow, Betts has authored several works exploring incarceration’s effects on American society. His latest book, “Redaction,” is a collaboration with Titus Kaphar.

The Library will present Betts with the degree during the 27th Annual Virginia Literary Awards Celebration on Sept. 21.

The Virginia Literary Awards, presented by Dominion Energy, honor Virginia writers’ contributions to the Commonwealth and country’s literary landscape. Awards are given in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and children’s literature categories.