WELCOME

The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, which includes fifty-five categories recognizing excellence in both editorial and design, is regarded as one of the highest national honors in small and independent publishing.

The award is administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association, with the help of more than 160 book publishing professionals coming from the library, bookstore, reviewer, designer, publicity and editorial industry segments. The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards program is unique in that entrants receive direct feedback from decision makers in the industry. The actual judging forms are returned to all participating publishers.

Prestige as a publisher is one of the many benefits of being named as a finalist for this distinguished award. Winners and finalists are recognized at a gala event celebrating all of the recipients and every finalist title is displayed prominently at the Awards ceremony. Winners receive an engraved crystal trophy. Finalists and winners receive award certificates along with gold or silver stickers. All winners and finalists are announced to the major trade journals and media. In addition, all finalists are featured on the IBPA Home page prior to the event, and the winners and finalists remain archived at the IBPA website.

To assist our judges and to ensure that they have enough time to review each book, we have separate calls for entries in September and December.

PHILOSOPHY

"When we first began the awards, it was both to honor the publishers who produce quality titles and to teach publishers how they can compete in the world of book publishing. We recognize that when people purchase a product they do not purchase it because a specific named publisher publishes it, they purchase a book because it fulfills a need and is well designed and edited. Each and every day all houses compete for shelf space and consumer recognition. By providing feedback on your entries into the awards, you hear what the buyers and reviewers think about your product and learn that you can compete. Sometimes the major houses do win. Other times, the smaller publishers win out because they do a better job and provide a better product.

As you can see by the wording of our awards, it is open to all. We decided to parallel the universe of book publishing that doesn't discriminate between large and small."

— Jan Nathan

ELIGIBILITY AND DEADLINES

WHO MAY ENTER
Publishers of books copyrighted in 2012 may enter the competition. Any books submitted with copyright dates other than 2012 must be accompanied with proof of initial distribution in the year 2012.

DEADLINES
FIRST CALL—SEPTEMBER 30, 2012
For titles published January 1 – August 31, 2012

SECOND CALL—December 31, 2012
Primarily for titles published September 1 – December 31, 2012
All titles carrying a 2012 copyright date will be accepted in this round of entries.

ABOUT THE AWARDS PRESENTATION
All finalists will be notified in April 2013. Two silver award winners and one gold award winner will be awarded in each category. All publishers are invited to celebrate with us as at the 2013 gala awards ceremony. We look forward to recognizing and cheering on the publishers who set the standards of excellence within the publishing community.

CONTACT INFO
1020 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Suite 204 • Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Tel: 310/546-1818 • Fax: 310/546-3939
info@ibpa-online.org
www.ibpa-online.org

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

ENTRY FEES
IBPA member – $90 per title, per category
Non-IBPA member – $190 for first title, which includes one year’s membership in IBPA; $90 per title, per category for second and subsequent entries.

Payable by check or by VISA / Master Card / AMEX to IBPA.

WHAT TO SEND
Submit four (4) copies of each title for the initial category entered. If you are entering the same title in multiple categories, you need to submit three (3) additional books for each additional category entered. Example: If you enter the same title in Categories 14 and 40, a total of seven (7) books needs to be sent with the entry.

For Category 49, Most Improved Redesign, please submit four (4) copies of the newly designed book and four (4) copies of the old book. If you wish to have the old book returned, please indicate that on the entry form and we will request that of our judges.

Insert the entry label inside the front cover of each book. Double-check to be sure you have filled in the label completely and have entered the title in the most appropriate category. Children’s Picture Books are only eligible in the categories that have “Children’s” in the name.

Send a check made payable to IBPA for the total amount of entry fees or fill out the credit card section on the entry label and include with entries. If paying by credit card, please place your credit card details in an envelope on top of the entries. Do not include inside each book.

All copies of books entered become the property of IBPA and will not be returned to you, except in the case of Category 49, Most Improved Redesign.

HOW TO SEND
Ship books and payment for entry fees in the same package via a shipping service, such as UPS or the USPS, to insure on-time delivery to the IBPA offices. DO NOT SEND FOURTH CLASS BOOK RATE. Place the payment for entry fees in an envelope on top of the entries in the package. Please do not include the payment in an envelope on the outside of the package. Please use the package mailing label to identify your submission.

WHERE TO SEND
IBPA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARDS
Independent Book Publishers Association
1020 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Suite 204
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Telephone: 310/546-1818
Fax: 310/546-3939

CATEGORIES

Titles are judged for both design and editorial content. Special Note: Children’s Picture Books are only eligible in categories that have “Children’s” in the name. Children’s categories are 8, 9, 45, 48, 52, and 55.

BOOK AWARDS

DESIGN AND OTHER AWARDS

ENTRY FORM LABEL

PLEASE NOTE: THE ENTRY FORM LABEL MUST BE INCLUDED WITH EACH BOOK YOU SUBMIT

Duplicate it as often as necessary. Insert the entry form label inside the front cover of each book submitted (if you enter one book in one category, you must insert this entry form label into each of the four books sent).

Please be sure that you have completely filled in the entry form label and entered the title in the most appropriate category.

Here you can download a PDF of the Call for Entries Brochure including the official entry form for the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 24th Annual 2012 book publishers competition.

DOWNLOAD PDF OF BROCHURE AND ENTRY FORM HERE

NEW! INTERACTIVE PDF ENTRY FORM
If you prefer to use a PDF entry form that you can fill in digitally,download the interactive PDF of the official entry formfor the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 25th Annual 2013 book publishers competition.