32nd Annual Awards

(books published in 2021)

  • Nomination Period: October 1, 2021 – January 14, 2022
  • Long-list Announced: March, 2022
  • Short-list Announced: April 2022
  • Public Voting: April – May, 2022
  • Winners Announced: May, 2022
  • Regional Bookstore Display Contest: Summer 2022

See Previous Winners Here

The 32nd Annual Awards

The longlists are announced at readingthewest.com. You can download an Excel spreadsheet with all the titles, authors, and ISBNs for each category here. Click below on the categories to see the books in Edelweiss.

Adult Fiction

Debut Fiction

Adult Poetry

Adult Nonfiction (General)

Adult Biography/Memoir

Eating the West (Cookbooks & Culinary Writing)

Picture Books

Young Readers (ages 7-12)

Young Adult (ages 13+)

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. 

 

Committees are full now. Thanks to everyone who volunteered.

  • Committee Chairs will work with MPIBA staff to host virtual committee meetings, answer committee questions, and follow-up on committee work.

Suggest a Title to Be Nominated

You are invited to add books to this list at any time. To be considered for the 33rd Annual Award, the book must be originally published in 2022 by an author living or working in the region – OR – the subject matter must be specifically regional to one of the twelve Association states. 

 

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR BOOKS PUBLISHED IN 2022

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. 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!

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.
  • Build your in-store and virtual displays and enter the display contest before June 30!
  • Member stores can order physical materials: bookmarks, stickers, and more via the form below.

Order Printed Marketing Materials

  • Use this form to order your marketing materials for the annual Reading the West Awards.
    All marketing materials are completely free for MPIBA member bookstores.

  • Contact Information

  • Where should we send the marketing materials?
    Please list an address that can accept both UPS and FedEx deliveries. If do not have an address that can accept both, please list both addresses in the "Street Address" and "Address Line 2" fields.

  • Order Your Materials

  • Select quantity.
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  • 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

Copyright 2018 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association