Review of New Zealand Book Awards to be Wide Open

NEWS RELEASE – for immediate release

4 June 2009

Review of New Zealand Book Awards to be Wide Open

As many views and opinions as possible on the future structure of the New Zealand Book Awards will be canvassed by Booksellers New Zealand as part of the wide ranging review being conducted over the next two months.

Booksellers New Zealand Chief Executive Lincoln Gould said the change of naming rights sponsor from Montana to New Zealand Post beginning in 2010 was an ideal opportunity to look at how the awards are structured, including the number of categories the criteria for finalists and winners the selection of judges and how the different stakeholders are engaged with the awards.

“While Booksellers New Zealand administer the awards and there are sponsors names attached, there are also many communities of authors, publishers, reviewers and readers who have a sense of ownership of the awards and will want their views taken into account,” said Mr Gould.

“The awards management committee, chaired by Laura Kroetsch includes representatives of many of the established stakeholders such as the NZ Society of Authors, Book Publishers Association of New Zealand, and Creative New Zealand. This committee will be the focal point of the review but we would welcome submissions from anyone interested, be they organised groups or individuals,” said Mr Gould.

Booksellers New Zealand will develop a dedicated page on their website www.booksellers.co.nz/bk_awards_review on which to post submissions so that the process is as open and transparent as possible. This page will be available to view from Thursday 4 June, 5pm.

Submissions should be emailed to AwardsReview@booksellers.co.nz, or posted to Booksellers New Zealand PO Box 13248, Johnsonville, Wellington 6440 by 1 July 2009.

ENDS

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