REWARDING EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN, PRODUCTION, AND MANUFACTURING

Since 1970, awards for outstanding book design, production, and manufacturing have been presented at the Bookbuilders West Book Show, in December. The entrants are publishers and suppliers who do business in the Western States, and the judges are experienced in design, production, or related areas. The Bookbuilders West Book Show is one of the largest and most prestigious events of its kind in the United States. Following an exhibit of all entries, winning entries are announced and awards presented at a gala banquet. Award-winning books become part of the Traveling Book Show, planned for exhibiting at other book events and organizations throughout the United States.

Books that received awards are showcased in the annual catalog, which is distributed to attendees at the Book Show & Awards Banquet. Entry deadline is in the spring, awards are announced in the winter.

 
THE ENTRIES
Entries are accepted from any publisher or any supplier to a publisher engaged in designing, manufacturing, or publishing books in any of the western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Entries need not be manufactured exclusively in the western states, nor is membership in Bookbuilders West required.

Accepted entries must have the specified copyright date and must have been published by an eligible publisher or manufactured wholly or in part by an eligible supplier. Any number of titles not previously entered from the specified publishing period may be submitted. Catalogs, directories, calendars, periodicals, pamphlets, promotional pieces, and kits are not eligible.

 
JUDGING CRITERIA
Judging is held for one week in the Spring. Each entry is judged on its own merits - regardless of category - and evaluated for its excellence. Entries are judged individually, not against other books. And there is only one level of award, but in a typical year 15 percent of the entries receive awards.

Judges for the categories are selected for their knowledge and experience in those segments. Entrants may receive ballots with judges' comments following the Book Show banquet. The judges will examine and evaluate entries with respect to the following classifications:

Design  Is the style and size of type appropriate to the intended market? Is the arrangement of type and graphics effective and functional? Are graphic elements creatively planned, purposeful, and well executed? Is the use of color effective and appropriate? Were budget constraints an issue? Have the inserts, cover, jacket, endpapers, and other components been designed to complement and enrich the book as a whole? Does the design help the reader understand the author's intent?

Production  Do typesetting and page makeup demonstrate high standards and well-recognized practices of the bookmaking craft? Do illustrations and photographic images have good tonal range between shadows and highlights? Is detail held in highlight and shadow areas?

Manufacturing  Is the printing well executed with respect to inking, register, and image clarity? Has suitable paper been used? Are margins consistent and page backup accurate? Is the printing of component elements, such as cover, jacket, inserts, and endpapers, consistent with the quality of the text printing? Is the book bound according to the best practices of bindery craftsmanship?

 
2006 CATEGORIES
To ensure that entries are evaluated with the appropriate criteria in mind, eight main categories (and subcategories) have been established to recognize the intended use of the book, as well as the demands, constraints, challenges, and opportunities that exist in each category.

The categories of submission for covers and jackets are the same as those for books. Covers and jackets may be submitted for consideration without entering the accompanying books, but if a cover or jacket is entered with its book, it is not eligible for a separate award. As a result, if a book receives an award, its cover or jacket will not receive a separate certificate.

Children's Trade   This category includes books varying in subject matter and created specifically for the enjoyment and enrichment of a juvenile or young audience.

Professional Trade   This category includes books designed for business or professional develop-ment that are intended for individual use. These books provide general guidance to the working professional or teach specific technical or profes-sional skills by presenting material as commentary and explication (such as computer books or legal guides). Books in this category are often packaged with CDs or other media.

Reference and Scholarly   This category includes highly specialized texts of primary interest to an academic or research readership, and also reference works for a general audience that are intended to be consulted rather than read continuously. These books can vary from encyclopedic resources, desk references, and dictionaries to collections of professor's writings and other scholarly works. They are primarily text driven but may contain graphics and illustrations.

School Publishing   Books in this category are intended for classroom use at the elementary through post-graduate level, including student and instructor editions, and ancillary components physically attached to the principal print product. Also included are books targeted for adult continuing education and vocational training that are intended for a hands-on, classroom-like environment.

The two School Publishing subcategories include:
(1) Elementary and High School
(2) College

Special Trade   Books in this category do not fit comfortably into the other trade and reference categories. These can include specialized genres such as novelty books, cookbooks, gift books, health and fitness books, travel books, or field guides that utilize a creative or decorative design, illustrations, photography, and packaging to illustrate the content of the book.

Trade, Image Driven   This category includes books of general interest that are designed to maximize their illustrative appeal. These books are published primarily for their visual content, which consists of photographs, illustrations, or other graphics. Books in this category include, but are not limited to, photographic essays and fine art editions, museum guides, and historical picture books. There are no subcategories.

Trade, Text Driven   This category includes books of general interest that are published primarily for their text content. Photographs, illustrations, or other graphics serve as an accessory to the text. Books in this category include, but are not limited to, fiction, nonfiction, prose, and poetry. There are no subcategories.

If you have questions about the Book Show, please contact the Book Show chair by sending email to bookshow@bookbuilders.org, or call Elise Gochberg at 707-585-7445.