independent publishers guild - The Independent Publishing Awards 2008

The Independent Publishing Awards 2008

Independent publishing picks its champions.

Templar leads the winners at the 2008 Independent Publishing Awards

The Independent Publishers Guild is proud to announce the eleven winners of the 2008 Independent Publishing Awards. They are:

The van Tulleken Independent Publisher of the Year:
Templar Publishing

Bertrams THE Trade Publisher of the Year: Snowbooks

Lightning Source Children's Publisher of the Year: Templar Publishing

Taylor Wessing Academic & Professional Publisher of the Year: Willan Publishing

Xerox Education Publisher of the Year: Rising Stars

Nielsen Innovation of the Year: Salt Publishing

UK Trade & Investment International Achievement of the Year:
Michael O'Mara Books

The IPG Environmental Award: Alastair Sawday Publishing

Publishing Technology E-Publishing Award: Berg Publishers

The IPG Diversity Award: Arcadia Books

The GBS Services to Independent Publishers Award: Robert Snuggs

Leading the roll call of winners is Templar Publishing, which scooped the flagship prize for van Tulleken Independent Publisher of the Year as well as the Lightning Source Children's Publisher of the Year. Templar follows 2007 winner Jessica Kingsley Publishers as the second recipient of this prestigious title.

Templar was chosen as the overall winner from a shortlist that also featured the winners of three other Publisher of the Year categories-trade, academic and professional and education. The respective winners here-Snowbooks, Willan Publishing and Rising Stars-were all praised by the judging panel for their achievements in the year. "What comes very clearly through from all the entries is the energy, innovation, creativity and community of independent publishing."

The eleven prize winners will receive their Independent Publishing Awards at a gala dinner in Brighton on Saturday 8th March. The ceremony is part of the Independent Publishers Guild's annual conference at the De Vere Grand Hotel, attended by hundreds of members from all fields of publishing. The awards, now in their second year, were set up by the IPG in association with The Bookseller and London Book Fair to celebrate the successes of independent publishers. All winners were chosen by panels of industry experts.

IPG Executive Director Bridget Shine says: "Congratulations to our eleven prize winners, each of whom is a true champion in their field. The IPG and all our judges were hugely impressed by the variety and vibrancy of all the companies who entered the awards. The strong submissions show that independent publishing in the UK is thriving."

More detail follows on the eleven winners and judges' comments.

THE VAN TULLEKEN INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR- TEMPLAR PUBLISHING

Templar took the overall prize for its innovative publishing for children and clear sense of purpose. The company has transformed itself from a packager into a fully-fledged publisher and has sharply increased its turnover in the last few years. Judges praised in particular Templar's 'Ology' series of books and accompanying website, and said the company was a model independent. "You can sense the passion, imagination, energy and strong philosophy of Templar. It is the finished article-polished, considered and professional in everything it does."

Templar also won the Lightning Source Children's Publisher of the Year award (see below). The shortlist for the van Tulleken Independent Publisher of the Year also included the three other Publisher of the Year category winners: Rising Stars, Snowbooks and Willan Publishing.

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BERTRAMS THE TRADE PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR-SNOWBOOKS

Snowbooks' award caps its rapid rise in publishing since it was set up in 2003. Judges liked its energetic marketing and publicity and its efforts to build close relationships with retailers and other partners in the trade. Snowbooks' lively website and design service for other publishers were also both praised. "The energy of this energetic publisher fizzes off the page," said the judges. "It's a very innovative company, great to work with, and likely to sustain its early growth in the years ahead."

Also shortlisted for the Bertrams THE Trade Publisher of the Year were Michael O'Mara Books, Search Press and Summersdale Publishers.

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LIGHTNING SOURCE CHILDREN'S PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR- TEMPLAR PUBLISHING

Templar Publishing, also winner of the overall award for the van Tulleken Independent Publisher of the Year, stood out in this category for its innovative publishing and committed, 'can-do' attitude. Judges also noted its strong overseas and coedition sales and efforts to broaden its spectrum beyond its successful 'Ology' series. "This is a company that is really trying to engage with its audience and that has made other publishers sit up and take notice," said the panel. "Templar is focused, controlled and innovative, and it's growing fast."

Shortlisted alongside Templar Publishing in this category were Barrington Stoke and Piccadilly Press.

TAYLOR WESSING ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR-WILLAN PUBLISHING

Willan scooped this award for establishing itself very quickly in its niche of legal and crime publishing, and for setting high standards in both its books and customer service. Judges said Willan's launch of a definitive new criminology book marked it out as an ambitious, committed publisher. "Willan has shown great tenacity in going after a sector and taking on some much larger rivals," they commented. "They are a great company to work with and convey a real sense of excitement about being in publishing."

Also shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Academic & Professional Publisher of the Year were Earthscan and SAGE.

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XEROX EDUCATION PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR-RISING STARS

This award went to Rising Stars in recognition of its success in quickly establishing itself in the education market. Judges said the company had a very clear understanding of its schools' market and had worked hard to exceed the expectations of teachers and parents. It also impressed with its mix of books and supporting software. "A well thought out approach to commissioning combined with innovative marketing has resulted in excellent sales for a lively publishing programme."

Shortlisted alongside Rising Stars in this category were Barrington Stoke, Jolly Learning and Teachers' Pocketbooks.

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NIELSEN INNOVATION OF THE YEAR-SALT PUBLISHING

Salt Publishing received the Nielsen Innovation of the Year award for its imaginative efforts to increase sales of collections of poetry and short stories despite very challenging market conditions. It impressed with its range of web-based marketing initiatives and partnerships and energetic development of its brand. "Salt is bucking the trend in poetry by growing its sales," said the judges. "Its innovation in lots of small ways adds up to a major achievement."

Also shortlisted in this category were Snowbooks and Weird Grape.

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UK TRADE & INVESTMENT INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR-MICHAEL O'MARA BOOKS

Michael O'Mara stood out in this category after sharply increasing its foreign-language sales in 2007. Building on its successes on the bestseller lists in the UK, O'Mara has stepped up its overseas deals with notable growth in the US in particular, and judges praised its strong, substantial submission for the award. "O'Mara uses its intellectual property in really imaginative ways overseas, and has a clear sales vision," they commented.

Also shortlisted for the UK Trade & Investment International Achievement of the Year were Arcadia Books and Earthscan.

THE IPG ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD-ALASTAIR SAWDAY PUBLISHING

With green issues currently at the forefront of publishers' minds, Alastair Sawday Publishing was singled out in this category as a model for all independents to follow. Its efforts to reduce waste in its office and supply chain have reduced the company's environmental impact, and it works closely with staff to identify more areas of improvement. "Here is a publisher who lives and breathes green," said the panel of judges. "Alastair Sawday has all the right principles and is clearly committed to improving its practice further."

Also shortlisted in this category were Centre for Alternative Technology Publications and Jack Hook.

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PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY E-PUBLISHING AWARD-BERG PUBLISHERS

Berg Publishers took the E-Publishing prize for a raft of digital strategies resulting in increased sales. Judges liked the way it had taken apart its books to adapt them to digital environments. "Berg is making smart use of both technology and content to reach out to its customers. It is a shining example of a publisher previously limited to print but now making bold moves into new mediums." The panel added that they were impressed by the high standard of entries in this category. "Independent publishers are clearly thinking very creatively about new technologies."

Also shortlisted for the Publishing Technology E-Publishing Award were Alastair Sawday Publishing and Justis Publishing.

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THE IPG DIVERSITY AWARD-ARCADIA BOOKS

This award was given to Arcadia in recognition of its success in promoting books from disparate cultures. In 2007 it combined its commitment to diversity with record sales, critical acclaim and literary awards, and judges praised its efforts to work with translators to make foreign fiction more accessible in the UK. "Arcadia has shown a passionate commitment to diversity for a long time, and its support of work in translation is outstanding. They know how tough the market is, yet have still managed to make their list work commercially."

Also shortlisted for the IPG Diversity Award was Frances Lincoln.

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GBS SERVICES TO INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS AWARD-ROBERT SNUGGS

This prize, given for the first time in 2008, goes to Robert Snuggs, founder and managing director of Bounce! Sales and Marketing, for his tireless work on behalf of independent publishers. Several of his clients in children's publishing credit him with sharply increasing their sales, and one said: "His professionalism and care are second to none." Judges were especially impressed by Bounce's ability to get books into new channels. "Robert and the Bounce team have taken their independent publishing clients into markets many of them could have only dreamed of."

Also shortlisted for the award were David Attwooll, director of publishing consultancy and licensing agency Attwool Associates; and Inpress Books the online umbrella organization for small publishers.

The IPG is grateful to all the industry experts who acted as judges for the Independent Publishing Awards: Francis Bennett, Stuart Biles, Philip Blackwell, Steve Bohme, Neill Denny, Elise Dillsworth, Michael Holdsworth, Emma House, Simon Juden, Mark Kenber, Sonny Leong, Jane Mays, Gary McKeone, Chris Meade, Caroline Michel, Chris Mottershead, Sharon Murray, Kes Nielsen, Tim Rix, David Roche, Andrew Senior, Mo Siewcharran, Ian Snowley, Liz Thomson, Tom Tivnan, Steve Walker and Caroline Walsh.

The IPG also thanks its partners, The Bookseller and the London Book Fair, and all those who have sponsored awards: Bertrams THE, the Booksellers Association, Grantham Book Services, Lightning Source, Nielsen, Publishing Technology, RPM Print and Design, Taylor Wessing, UK Trade & Investment, the van Tulleken Company and Xerox.

For any further information, please contact:
Bridget Shine, IPG Executive Director
Telephone: 01763 247014
Email: bridget@ipg.uk.com

The IPG thanks its partners, The Bookseller and London Book Fair.

And a very big thank you to our sponsors:

The van Tulleken Company
Bertrams
Vista
Xerox
Lightning Source
Nielsen
RPM Print and Design
Taylor Wessing
UK Trade & Investment