New Carnegie Medal Winners Megha Majumdar and Yiyun Li Celebrate Libraries

The award-winning authors share their love for libraries and how they've played a pivotal role in their writing journeys.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 7:07pm

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Novelists Megha Majumdar and Yiyun Li, the latest winners of the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, respectively, have a deep appreciation for libraries. Majumdar, author of "A Guardian and a Thief," finds libraries to be ideal spaces for writing and exploring, while Li, author of "Things in Nature Merely Grow," credits libraries for introducing her to influential authors like A.S. Byatt. Both writers highlight the importance of libraries as welcoming public spaces that foster community and creativity.

Why it matters

The Carnegie Medals are among the most prestigious literary awards in the United States, recognizing the best in fiction and nonfiction. Majumdar and Li's stories of how libraries have shaped their lives and careers as writers underscore the vital role these institutions play in nurturing literary talent and providing access to knowledge and community for all.

The details

Megha Majumdar, the winner of the fiction medal, enjoys the jigsaw puzzle table and telescope she's borrowed from the Brooklyn Public Library, in addition to using the library as a quiet space to write. Yiyun Li, the nonfiction winner, discovered British author A.S. Byatt's works by browsing the shelves of the Iowa City public library after moving to the U.S. from China. Both authors emphasize the libraries' ability to provide solitude and community simultaneously, as well as their role as inclusive public spaces.

  • The American Library Association announced the Carnegie Medal winners on January 27, 2026.
  • The authors will be formally honored at the ALA's gathering in Chicago in June 2026.

The players

Megha Majumdar

The winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction for her novel "A Guardian and a Thief." Majumdar is a novelist who has established herself as a major voice in contemporary literature.

Yiyun Li

The winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction for her memoir "Things in Nature Merely Grow." Li is a recipient of numerous literary honors, including the PEN/Faulkner Award and The Guardian First Book Award.

Lillian Dabney

The chair of the awards' selection committee, who praised Majumdar's "intoxicating novel" and Li's "courageous" memoir.

Toni Morrison

The Nobel laureate who previously held the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities position that Li now holds at Princeton University.

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What they’re saying

“Megha Majumdar's intoxicating novel is filled with emotion and relevance to all people and all places across time.”

— Lillian Dabney, Chair of the awards' selection committee

“Yiyun Li has courageously put almost inexplicable events into words that will benefit all who encounter her book.”

— Lillian Dabney, Chair of the awards' selection committee

“I would walk to shelf to shelf. That's how I discovered (British author) A.S. Byatt. There was a big collection of A.S. Byatt in the A's, so I started to read her. I read through the collections, from A to Z.”

— Yiyun Li

“In an alternative life, I could have been a librarian.”

— Yiyun Li

What’s next

The authors will be formally honored at the ALA's gathering in Chicago in June 2026.

The takeaway

The stories of how Megha Majumdar and Yiyun Li have been shaped by their experiences in libraries highlight the vital role these public institutions play in fostering literary talent, providing access to knowledge, and creating inclusive community spaces that nurture creativity and contemplation.