The Book Industry Study Group has announced its first ever industry awards, to be presented at the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled for September 27, 2013 in New York City, and invites nominations from its members.

The purpose of the awards is to recognize outstanding contributions to, and outstanding achievements in, the publishing ecosystem. The four awards will honor industry innovation and contribution to all areas of the publishing ecosystem while furthering BISG’s mission of offering member-sourced solutions to industry challenges.

The four awards are:

1. Friend of the Industry – Presented to the individual whose work over the past year has gone above and beyond the requirements of his or her position and has contributed to the functioning of the publishing value chain as a whole. Members can submit nominations here.

2. Industry Innovation Award – Presented to the individual or company whose innovation in tools or processes has contributed to removing friction between trading partners and resulted in more efficient and profitable relationships. Members can submit nominations here.

3. Most Valuable Committee Participant – Presented to the BISG committee member who, in the previous year, has made the greatest contribution while reflecting BISG’s core principle of solving industry challenges and finding opportunities through its member-run committees. 

4. Lifetime Achievement Award – Awarded to an individual for outstanding work on behalf of BISG over the course of their career, via meeting input, service on the Executive Board, or committee work. 

Nominations for the first two awards are due by the close of the business day on July 30, 2013.

Both short lists and final winners will chosen by a jury, which will also select the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The jury members are Kyusik Chung (Goodreads.com), Sally Dedecker (Sally Dedecker Enterprises), Kelly Gallagher (Ingram Content Group), Ted Hill (THA Consulting), Kat Meyer (Frankfurt Book Fair), and Carolyn Pittis (Welman Digital Media LLC). BISG Committee Chairs will submit names for the Committee award. A short list of nominees will be announced in August. Award recipients will be announced at the BISG Annual Meeting of Members. 

The Annual Meeting of Members will be held on September 27, 2013 at The Yale Club of New York City, 50 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017, from 8:30 am – 1:50 pm.

For further information about the BISG Industry Awards, please contact Len Vlahos at Len@bisg.org

About the Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG) is the book industry’s leading trade association for policy, standards, and research. The mission of BISG is to create a more informed, empowered, and efficient book industry. Membership consists of publishers, manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, librarians, and others engaged in the business of print and electronic media. For over 35 years, BISG has provided a forum for all industry professionals to come together and efficiently address issues and concerns to advance the book community. Learn more about BISG at www.bisg.org.