Celebrate Nebraska’s rich literary
tradition with the Nebraska Book Awards. The Nebraska Book Awards program,
sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book (NCB), recognizes and honors
books that are written by Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers,
set in Nebraska, or concerning Nebraska. The Awards competition opens every
year on March 1st and entries are due by June 30th. Books published in 2019, as
indicated by the copyright date, are eligible for nomination. They must be published,
have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and be bound. Books may be
entered in one or more of the following categories: Nonfiction, Fiction,
Children/Young Adult, Cover/Design/Illustration, and Poetry. Winners of the 2020
Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the annual Celebration of Nebraska
Books on October 17, 2020. The authors, designers and illustrators, and
publishers are invited to give a short reading and speak about their winning
books. Please visit the NCB website at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards/nebookawards.htm
for more information and to submit your nomination. Submissions can be made on
the NCB website or by mail.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books,
free and open to the public, will also honor recipients of the 2020 Jane Geske
and Mildred Bennett awards. The Mildred Bennett Award recognizes individuals
who have made a significant contribution to fostering the literary tradition in
Nebraska, reminding us of the literary and intellectual heritage that enriches
our lives and molds our world. The Jane Geske Award is presented to a Nebraska
organization for exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading,
libraries, or literature in Nebraska. It commemorates Geske’s passion for
books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the
well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Nominations for these awards are
accepted year round at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/nominationforms.html.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books is
sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission,
with support from Humanities Nebraska, and History Nebraska’s Nebraska History
Museum. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library
Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers,
librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the
community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public
interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the
Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of
Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the
Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information
needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide
promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services,
“bringing together people and information.”