Ebooks Now Eligible for National Book Awards

Posted on June 1, 2001

Neil Baldwin, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, announced at BookExpo America, that ebooks will now be considered for the annual National Book Awards. Mr. Baldwin emphasized that ebooks will not be considered as a separate category, but will be read within the four existing award categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature.

Mr. Baldwin said in the announcement, "Ever since they were established in 1950, the National Book Awards have recognized and celebrated the best in contemporary American literature. The four classic literary genres within which the Awards are given create a solid structure to honor this work. Now, with books appearing in a new electronic format, the Board of Directors believes appropriate consideration should be given to ebooks. Our decision ensures that all important published literary work -- whatever the format - will be part of the playing field."

National Book Award judges will consider ebooks according to the same standard with which they evaluate all works submitted: literary merit. Publishers submitting ebooks for a National Book Award must send a hard copy of the work, printed and bound on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper.

Those ebook titles eligible include full-length works of fiction and general nonfiction; ebook collections of short stories; and ebook collections of poetry by one author. All eligible ebooks must have been published only in electronic form during the eligibility year: ebooks published simultaneously or previously in printed form will not be eligible. If an ebook is published simultaneously as a traditionally printed book during the eligibility year, the printed book is eligible for submission. In order to be considered, each ebook submission must provide information detailing where the book is available for downloading (or a disc/CD copy of the book).

For any book -- traditionally printed or electronic -- to be eligible for a 2001 National Book Award, it must have been published in the United States between December 1, 2000 and November 30, 2001 and must have been written by a United States citizen. Each of the finalists for the 2001 National Book Award will receive a bronze medallion and $1,000 cash award from the National Book Foundation. In addition, the winners in each category will receive a $10,000 cash award and crystal sculpture.