• Shakespeare and Company (France) crowned Bookstore of the Year
• Arab world leads the field with two awards
• The LBF Simon Master Chairman’s Award awarded to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi
• India, China, Turkey, Finland and Argentina also winners

LONDON, 14 MARCH 2017 20:00: The winners of The London Book Fair International Excellence Awards, in association with The Publishers Association and sponsored by Hytex, have been announced at a prestigious awards ceremony held tonight, on the first day of LBF.

The Bookstore of the Year Award, sponsored by Gardners, went to Paris-based Shakespeare and Company for “the way it has endeavoured to become a 21st century bookseller.” The judges also observed “It has opened a café, expanded its children’s section and revamped its website to include the introduction of online purchasing. Its extensive events programme is now brought to people around the world via video and audio podcasts”.

The Arab world had a successful year at the awards, with two wins overall. From the UAE, the prestigious LBF Simon Master Chairman’s Award was awarded to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry in the UAE. Arabic Literature (in English) won The Literary Translation Initiative Award, for its founder’s Marcia Lynx Qualey’s “strong personal dedication to creating cross-cultural understanding in the diverse world of Arabic literature”.

The Market Focus (MF) Poland categories saw Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry crowned The MF Poland Children’s and Young Adult Publisher, who had previously been nominated in the same category in 2016. The judges praised the publisher for its “big impact on the Polish and International publishing community”. In The MF Poland Adult Trade Publisher Award category, Wydawnictwo Czarne won for demonstrating “a fearless approach to non-fiction publishing, passionately giving a voice to minorities and the politically or racially persecuted.”

China took home the new Rights Professional Award with Hui Hou from Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Co., Ltd winning for “her success in bringing Chinese books to a broad international market through innovative partnerships whether in print or digital”. Meanwhile, Turkey also had a good night with Nermin Mollaoglu, Kalem Agency awarded The Literary Agent Award, because “she has in one decade become a second bridge to the outside world for her writers at a point in Turkish history when this connection is more crucial than ever, and harder than ever to achieve.”

The judging panel for the new category, Inclusivity in Publishing Award, supported by Equip (eligible for UK entries only) commended “publishers’ efforts and achievements towards improving inclusivity in publishing, a drive which is much needed for our industry.” HarperCollins Publishers won “for the achievements they have made across the publishing ecosystem with a genuine drive and meaningful initiatives that are already creating a real step change for diversity and inclusion.”

Jacks Thomas, Director, The London Book Fair, said: “The International Excellence Awards are a unique celebration of the achievements of all those across the world bringing books to a wider audience, whether through publishing, retail or other literary initiatives. From China to the UAE, from France to India and from Poland to Brazil, these awards showcase the true diversity, creativity and dedication to books and reading that define 21st century publishing. It has been a great pleasure and honour to recognise these individuals and organisations here at The London Book Fair, in the creative capital of the world.”

Stephen Lotinga, Chief Executive, The UK Publishers Association, said: “This year’s winners of the International Excellence Awards demonstrate the thriving, innovative global publishing industry we are all proud to be part of. The PA is delighted to work with The London Book Fair to celebrate both the industry’s success at home, and the success of our international colleagues.”

The full list of this year’s International Excellence Awards winners is below:

• The Academic and Professional Publisher Award, supported by Research Information
  • OECD Publishing

 

• The Educational Initiatives Award
  • Book Aid International (Africa)

 

• The Educational Learning Resources Award, supported by China Publishing & Media Journal
  • Lithuanian Free Market Institute (Lithuania)

 

• The Literary Translation Initiative Award
  • Arabic Literature (in English) (UAE)

 

• The Literary Agent Award
  • Nermin Mollaoglu, Kalem Agency (Turkey)

 

• The Literary Festival Award, supported by The International Literature Showcase
  • Bookaroo Trust – Festival of Children’s Literature (India)

 

• The Bookstore of the Year Award sponsored by Gardners Books Ltd
  • Shakespeare and Company (France)

• The Rights Professional Award
  • Hui Hou, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Co., Ltd (China)

 

• The Market Focus Poland Adult Trade Publisher Award
  • Wydawnictwo Czarne (Poland)

 

• The Market Focus Poland Trade Children’s and Young Adult Publisher Award
  • Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry (Poland)

• The Brand Licensing Award
  • Kaiken Publishing (Angry Birds) (Finland)

 

• Accessible Books Consortium International Excellence Award: Publisher
  SAGE Publishing (UK)

 

• Accessible Books Consortium International Excellence Award: Initiative
  Tiflonexos (Argentina)

 

• Inclusivity in Publishing Award, supported by Equip
  HarperCollins Publishers (UK)

Also hosted on the night was a selection of awards held in association with The London Book Fair:

• The London Book Fair Simon Master Chairman’s Award
  • His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah (UAE)

 

• The Quantum Publishing Innovation Award, supported by Copyright Clearance Center and Ixxus
  • NearSt (UK)

 

• The London Book Fair Trailblazer Awards
  • Anna Russo, Sales Executive at Hodder Education
  • Caroline Tatam, Platform Marketing Executive at Cambridge University Press
  • Claire O’Neill, Business Affairs Manager at Audible
  • Željka Marošević, Co-Publisher at Daunt Books Publishing
  • Heather McDaid, Publisher at 404 INK / Scot Lit Fest

 

• The Association for Publishing Education Dissertation and Project Prizes
  • Best Postgraduate Dissertation: Arusa Qureshi, Edinburgh Napier University
  • Best Undergraduate Dissertation: Kirsten Cozens, Oxford Brookes University
  • Best Major Project: Maria Magdalena Hock, Oxford Brookes University

 

• Best Overall Project: Kirsten Cozens, Oxford Brookes University

 

• The London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award
  Luiz Schwarcz, Publisher, Companhia das Letras, Brazil

The awards, which celebrate international excellence in the book industry, cover the whole scope of international publishing, including academic and scholarly publishing, children’s publishing, literary translation and publishing innovation. In each award category, the judging panel comprised experts in that sector.

The awards were presented at The London Book Fair, London Olympia Conference Centre on Tuesday 14th March 2017.

– END     –

For further information about The London Book Fair International Excellence Awards 2017, please contact:
Ashley Baugh at Midas Public Relations on 0207 361 7860 or ashley.baugh@midaspr.co.uk

www.londonbookfair.co.uk

2017 SHOW DATES
14-16 MARCH 2017
THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, OLYMPIA, LONDON
Notes to editors:

THE LONDON BOOK FAIR (LBF)
The London Book Fair (LBF) is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. Taking place every spring in the world’s premier publishing and cultural capital, it is a unique opportunity to explore, understand and capitalise on the innovations shaping the publishing world of the future. LBF brings you direct access to customers, content and emerging markets. LBF 2017, the 46th Fair, will take place from 14 – 16 March 2017, Olympia London. LBF’s London Book and Screen Week will run for the third year, with the book fair as the pivotal three-day event within a seven-day programme. London Book and Screen Week will begin on Monday 13 March. For further information, please visit: www.londonbookfair.co.uk

THE UK PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION (The PA)
The Publishers Association represents the interests of UK publishers across trade, education and academic publishers. Our members publish academic journals, text books for higher, secondary and primary education, fiction, non-fiction, children’s and learning resources. As a whole the industry contributes over £4.4bn to the UK economy with digital revenues contributing 32% and export sales accounting for 43%.

HYTEX
Hytex has been providing the publishing industry with high quality, innovative design and bespoke built exhibition stands for over 25 years, delivering a complete service with full support. Design-Build-Graphics-Installation. Official stand contractor for LBF 2017.
www.hytex.co.uk

 

 

GARDNERS BOOKS LTD
Established 30 years ago, Gardners has grown to become a leading international wholesaler of books, eBooks, music and film to retailers in the UK & around the world. Based out of a 350,000 square foot facility in Eastbourne, Gardners stock range offers retailers access to over 500,000 lines in-stock and ready to ship same day to any UK address, as well as 1.5 million+ eBooks available for instant fulfilment to consumers.

We work with thousands of multi-channel retailers, both online and on the high street, to supply physical & digital product to their exacting standards, either back to store or direct to consumer through our proven consumer direct fulfilment service (CDF)

Gardners parent Company ‘The Little Group” was listed in this years ‘Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200’ which ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies by fastest-growing overseas sales. The Little Group – www.littlegroup.com – includes specialist companies trading in Public and Academic Library Supply, School & FE supply and music exporting & importing, with bases in Preston, Hull, London and Florida.

 

 

 

 

About Reed Exhibitions Books & Publishing
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Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organizer, with over 500 events in 41 countries. In 2012 Reed brought together seven million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organized by 34 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 44 industry sectors with trade and consumer events and is part of the Reed Elsevier Group, a world leading provider of professional information solutions. www.reedexpo.com