McGuffey Textbook Longevity Award

McGuffey Award logoThe William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Award ("McGuffey") recognizes textbooks and learning materials whose excellence has been demonstrated over time. To be nominated, a work must have been in active publication 15 years and still be selling.

McGuffeys ReadersWilliam Holmes McGuffeyThe award bears the name of William Holmes McGuffey, whose influential primers, which first appeared in 1836, helped bring the United States out of frontier illiteracy. McGuffey's Eclectic Readers, usually called simply McGuffey's Readers, were in print until 1921.

Longevity in the marketplace is strong testimony to the quality of a title nominated for a McGuffey Textbook Longevity Award. 

Program Rules

  • Nominated textbooks must be in active publication for 15 years and still be selling.
  • Nominated textbooks must be new or revised editions with a copyright year of 2026 or later.
  • Nominated textbooks must be assigned in courses for K-12 through college/university level classrooms besides the author’s.
  • Textbooks can be nominated by authors or publishers, but to receive the discounted member-author nomination rates, the nominating author must be a TAA member.
  • Awards may be granted to both members and non-members.
  • Self-published textbooks are not eligible.
  • AI-generated textbooks are not eligible.

Entry Process

Nomination Fees:

  • Member-Authors: $250
  • Non-Member Authors: $450
  • Publishers: $500

Please note: Nomination fees are non-refundable and do not guarantee selection for an award.

Important Dates

  • Nominations are open October 1 through November 1, 2026
  • Award winners will be announced on or around January 15, 2027

Award Recipient Recognition

  • Announcement on TAA’s website, social media and print and enewsletter
  • An article about the awards published on TAA's blog, Abstract
  • A media kit that includes:
    • A press release announcing the award recipients (publishers and authors may cite the award in promoting winning works).
    • The award logo which can be reproduced by the publisher for use in marketing materials.
    • Awarded textbook cover images
    • TAA McGuffey Textbook Longevity Award logo stickers for purchase.
  • Inclusion in TAA's Textbook Awards archive
  • Award Plaque
    • For books with multiple authors, each author will receive an award plaque. For books with multiple contributors, only the editor and/or primary author will receive an award plaque.
    • Due to shipping and administrative limitations, award winners located outside the United States will receive a digital certificate in lieu of a physical plaque.

Please have these items ready before completing the online nomination form:

  1. A high-resolution image of the book cover in JPEG, PNG or PDF format.
  2. The names, current mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all of the book's authors.
  3. If the work has more than six authors, an email containing the full names, current mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of additional authors should be sent to [email protected]. Please send the email with the subject of the nominated work and "Authors" (e.g. "Introduction to Human Anatomy - Authors").
  4. A statement from the publisher on why this title is worthy of a McGuffey Longevity Award.
  5. The original copyright year for the first edition of the title.
  6. Instructions and necessary access codes, etc. for a digital version of your nominated title for review.

When Awards Are Presented

Award winners will be announced on or around January 15, 2027.

For books with multiple authors, each author will receive a physical award. For books with multiple contributors, only the editor and/or primary author will receive a physical award. Due to shipping and administrative limitations, award winners located outside the United States will receive a digital certificate in lieu of a physical plaque.

Spreading The Word About Your Award

TAA issues a press release announcing the award recipients and encourages publishers and authors to cite the award in promoting winning works. An article about the awards is also published on TAA's blog, Abstract.

Publishers and authors may cite the McGuffey in promoting winning works. The McGuffey logo can be reproduced by the publisher for use in marketing materials. Click here to purchase award logo stickers.

View the 2026 Textbook Award Winners  | View Past Recipients

Questions? Contact [email protected]