The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, which includes fifty-five categories recognizing excellence in both editorial and design, is regarded as one of the highest national honors in small and independent publishing.

The award is administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association, with the help of more than 160 book publishing professionals coming from the library, bookstore, reviewer, designer, publicity and editorial industry segments. The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards program is unique in that entrants receive direct feedback from decision makers in the industry. The actual judging forms are returned to all participating publishers.

Prestige as a publisher is one of the many benefits of being named as a finalist for this distinguished award. Winners and finalists are recognized at a gala event celebrating all of the recipients and every finalist title is displayed prominently at the Awards ceremony. Winners receive an engraved crystal trophy. Finalists and winners receive award certificates along with gold or silver stickers. All winners and finalists are announced to the major trade journals and media. In addition, all finalists are featured on the IBPA Home page prior to the event, and the winners and finalists remain archived at the IBPA website.

To assist our judges and to ensure that they have enough time to review each book, we have separate calls for entries in September and December.

FIRST CALL – SEPTEMBER 30, 2012
For titles published January 1 – August 31, 2012

SECOND CALL – DECEMBER 31, 2012
Primarily for titles published September 1 – December 31, 2012

All titles carrying a 2012 copyright date will be accepted in the second round of entries