London, 27 October 2021. The London Book Fair (LBF) has today announced the opening of submissions for the ninth annual International Excellence Awards.

Celebrating publishing achievement across eleven categories, the International Excellence Awards recognise the hard work of organisations and individuals demonstrating passion, creativity, and innovation within the industry. In addition to returning categories including Library of the Year, Bookstore of the Year and Audiobook Publisher, the International Excellence Awards 2022 will mark the introduction of the Educational Innovation Award, acknowledging those producing tools or initiatives which enhance learners’ experience. Individuals can also be nominated for the London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, given to those whose publishing career has broken down barriers and made positive change within the industry. Previous recipients include Margaret Busby, Dorotea Bromberg, Nigel Newton, Luiz Schwarcz, and Baroness Rebuck.

Andy Ventris, Director of The London Book Fair, said: “The publishing industry is made up of passionate and innovative teams doing incredible work, and the International Excellence Awards provide us with the opportunity to recognise the initiatives, organisations and individuals shaping the book world. We are delighted to open submissions for the 2022 Awards, and introduce the Educational Innovation Award, which will shine a light on those improving educational publishing and learning around the globe. We can’t wait to see the inspiring submissions across our eleven categories, and look forward to celebrating with the winners in person at the London Book Fair in April next year.”

Companies or individuals can nominate themselves, and publishers are encouraged to submit organisations or individuals they feel deserve to be recognised for outstanding achievement in the past year. All submissions can be made through The LBF website: www.londonbookfair.co.uk/awards.

Open to countries outside the UK only:

• The Academic and Professional Publisher Award
• The Adult Trade Publisher Award
• The Audiobook Publisher Award
• The Bookstore of the Year Award
• The Children’s and Young Adult Trade Publisher Award
• The Educational Innovation Award
• The Library of the Year Award
• The Literary Translation Initiative Award
• The Rights Professional Award

Open to all countries, including the UK:

• The London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award

Open to UK only:

• The Inclusivity in Publishing Award

Nominations and submissions in each category will be reviewed by panels of UK judges with relevant expertise.

This year’s winners included organisations from Ghana, Romania, Mozambique and the USA. Bookstore of the Year went to Romanian bookshop Cărturești, while Ghana Library Authority took home Library of the Year. Germany’s Nora Mercurio of Suhrkamp Verlag won the Rights Professional Award, and Findaway Voices (USA) was named Audiobook Publisher of the Year. The Literary Translation Initiative Award went to Mozambique’s Editora Trinta Zero Nove, Karadi Path Education Company (India) won the Educational Learning Resources Award, and Hachette UK received the Inclusivity in Publishing Award.

The LBF International Excellence Award winners will be announced during The London Book Fair 2022, which will take place from 5^th – 7^th April 2022 at Olympia London. Further details of the award ceremony will be shared shortly.

TO ENTER 

Submissions will close on 14^th January 2022. Full details on the entry criteria for each award category are on the LBF website – www.londonbookfair.co.uk/awards.