31st Annual Awards

(books published in 2020)

  • Nomination Period: October 1, 2020 – January 15, 2021
  • Long-list Announced: February, 2021
  • Short-list Announced: April 15, 2021
  • Public Voting: April 15 – May 15, 2021
  • Winners Announced: May 25, 2021
  • Regional Bookstore Display Contest: April 15– June 30, 2021
Longlist on Edelweiss
Longlist.xls
See Previous Winners Here
See the 31st Annual Book Awards Finalists

Promote the Awards and Sell More Books

Here’s a list of things you can do NOW, and year round, to sell more books by promoting the current and previous Reading the West Book Award winners. See the link below for a full collection of digital assets, information on author social media links, and more):

  • Build a in-store or virtual displays of the current and previous winners.
  • Promote these books to your customer email list.
  • Promote these books on social media. Follow @readingthewest to share posts, and tag #readingthewest in your own posts.
  • Host a Virtual Reading the West Event
    • Author events
    • Book clubs
    • Staff book talks
    • Announcing the winners

Download Digital Marketing Materials

  • We’ve created digital assets for your use to promote the 31st annual shortlist titles and the winners. Click the link below to access the folder.
  • Be sure to include links to your website and virtual displays in your digital promotions.
  • We will update this file with downloadable/printable graphics for use in-store once your store is back open for shopping.
  • Member stores can order physical materials: bookmarks, stickers, and more via the form below.
Reading the West Display & Digital Assets

Order Printed Marketing Materials

  • Use this form to order your marketing materials for the 31st Annual Reading the West Awards. Click here to learn more about the awards.

    All marketing materials are completely free for MPIBA member bookstores.

  • Contact Information

  • Where should we send the marketing materials?
    We will ship via UPS.

  • Order Your Materials

  • Select quantity.
  • Select quantity.
  • Select quantity.
  • Select quantity.
  • Select quantity.
  • Click "submit" to place your order. A confirmation email will be sent to you automatically. Please email info@mountainsplains.org if it does not arrive.

    Marketing materials ordered by the end of February will be shipped to the address provided in March. Orders placed in March or later will be mailed within two weeks.
2×8 inch
18pt matte card stock
1.5×2 inch
low tack sticker
safe for book jackets
1.5×2 inch
low tack sticker
safe for book jackets

Volunteer for a Reading Committee

Add your name to our roster of potential readers for next year’s reading committees and help us choose the Reading the West shortlists. Let us know that you’re interested and we’ll be in touch in the fall with more details. 

 

THANKS TO ALL WHO VOLUNTEERED! COMMITTEES ARE FULL NOW. 

Suggest a Title to Be Nominated

You are invited to add books to this list at any time. To be considered for the 32nd Annual Award, the book must be originally published in 2021 by an author living or working in the region – OR – the subject matter must be specifically regional to one of the twelve Association states. 

Shelf Awareness Award Announcement

YOU CAN ANNOUNCE THE READING THE WEST BOOK AWARD SHORTLIST TITLES AND ENCOURAGE VOTING, AND WE’LL DO ALL THE WORK!

 

We are partnering with Shelf Awareness to send an announcement about the shortlists to your email customers on April 15. The store-branded e-blast will link to a branded web page featuring all of the shortlist titles, each with a buy-button linked to your e-commerce platform. It will encourage customers to buy books from you, read them, and vote for the winners!

 

If you’ve sent our Holiday Gift Guide via Shelf Awareness, or if you send Shelf for Readers, or their new Pre-Order blast to your customers, you’re ready to go! New to Shelf Awareness emails? All you need is your email list and logo!

 

Click below to sign up to send the Reading the West Shortlist announcement e-bast. The deadline to register is April 1.

Registration Closed

CLOSED: Advocacy Honor Award Nominations

Advocacy Award description

Copyright 2018 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association