Established in 1988, the USC Libraries Scripter Award is an honor bestowed annually by the USC Libraries Board of Councilors in recognition of the year's best adaptation of the printed word into film, and is given to both the author and screenwriter. ​In 2016, the USC Libraries inaugurated a new Scripter award, for episodic series adaptation. Scripter celebrates writers and writing, collaboration, and the profound results of transforming one artistic medium into another. It stands as an emblem of libraries’ ability to inspire creative and scholarly achievement.  

The award is presented at a black-tie gala each spring on the University of Southern California campus in the beautiful Los Angeles Times Reference Room of Edward L. Doheny Memorial Library. The Scripter ceremony provides visibility and support for the USC Libraries.