The Dumbo Books Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the first annual Dumbo Books Foundation/Betty Smith Award for Brooklyn Writers.

The award will be given annually to a distinguished writer, residing in Brooklyn, who exemplifies the tradition and excellence of Betty Smith in her classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

The award, given in an amount corresponding to the writer’s ZIP code, ranges from $112.01 for residents of downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO to $112.39 for residents of Starrett City.

Candidates for the Dumbo Books Foundation/Betty Smith Award for Brooklyn Writers are proposed by nominators from across the borough whose experience and vocations bring them in contact with individuals of extraordinary talent.

Winners are chosen by a selection committee, a small group of recognized writers, literary scholars, and editors, appointed annually by the Foundation.

Both nominators and selectors serve anonymously. The Dumbo Books Foundation does not accept applications or nominations for the award.

The 2009 winner is Tao Lin of Williamsburg, who will receive an award in the amount of $112.11. He is the author of Shoplifing from American Apparel, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eeeee Eee Eee and You Are a Little Happier Than I Am (All from Melville Books).