Since its inception in 1985, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award has been focused on recognizing excellence in independent publishing. The award program, launched just two years after the foundation of the Publishers Marketing Association (PMA) in 1983, has grown and evolved alongside the publishing industry.
Terry Nathan, IBPA chief operations officer, recalls the early days: “When our awards program started, we were one of the only ones around.” The program retained the Benjamin Franklin Award name even after PMA rebranded to IBPA in 2008. Over the decades, the awards have adapted to reflect the changing nature of independent publishing. “Early on, it was very rare for us to receive fiction titles because small and self-publishers back in the 1980s and 1990s were publishing mostly nonfiction,” Nathan says. “As such, we had only one general fiction category.”
Rebranding to the IBPA Book Award
In April 2024, IBPA announced a rebranding of its awards program. Starting with the 37th award program in 2025, the awards will be known as the IBPA Book Award. This rebranding is part of a broader effort to modernize the program and make it more inclusive.
Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, IBPA’s CEO, explains, “IBPA’s award program is foundational to the organization and has built up so much brand equity over 36 years, However, we recognized that it was time not only to refresh the categories but also to reimagine how IBPA would bring this award into the future. We want to build upon the rich history and value of our awards program while creating a fresh new brand that incorporates categories that highlight and honor the work of communities that have been traditionally underserved in the publishing industry.”
The new name is designed to more closely associate the award with IBPA’s strong brand and core values. “It was time to give the awards a look and a feel that was more closely connected with the IBPA brand,” Fleck-Nisbet says.
Introducing New Categories
The addition of seven new categories to the IBPA Book Award was a significant change, driven by the need for more inclusive recognition. “The addition of the new categories was driven by the IBPA membership through the DEI committee,” Fleck-Nisbet says. “The DEI committee and a subgroup of the committee did a lot of research. They polled members and the industry to determine and carefully define the seven community awards added this year.”
These new categories include awards for AAPI Communities, Black/African American Communities, Disabled Communities, First Nations/Indigenous Communities, Latina/o/e Communities, LGBTQIA2+ Communities, and Neurodivergent Communities.
“We are proud to be an organization that leads the way in celebrating communities that have been underserved up until now,” Fleck-Nisbet says.
Representatives from the National Association of Home Builders with their 2022 Gold Award-winning book, The House that She Built, which inspired a national movement to empower girls to pursue careers in construction.
The Jan Nathan Lifetime Achievement Award
Another noteworthy addition to the IBPA Book Award is the Jan Nathan Lifetime Achievement Award. Named in honor of Jan Nathan, IBPA’s founder and pioneering figure in independent publishing, this award aims to recognize outstanding contributions to the industry.
“Jan Nathan was and still is an icon in the world of independent publishing,” Terry Nathan says. “Not only did she play an important role in getting IBPA to where we are today, she played an important role in getting independent publishing to where it is today.”
The Jan Nathan Lifetime Achievement Award will honor individuals and companies that have made significant contributions to independent publishing, embodying the spirit and dedication that Jan Nathan herself exemplified.
From 2022-24, new publisher Camcat Books swept the most awards in IBPA’s book award program. Sue Arroyo founded her press in 2019, focusing on thriller fiction novels. Sadly, Arroyo passed away in 2024.
Impact on Independent Publishing
Over the years, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards have made a profound impact on the independent publishing community. “The biggest impact is probably in helping improve the quality of independent publishing as a whole,” Nathan says. “Publishers enter the awards not only for the chance of being recognized as an award winner but also to receive feedback from industry professionals. Sharing these comments is one of my favorite parts of this program and one that I am most proud of. It challenges independent publishers to publish better and more professional books.”
The program has also seen trends in the types of publishers and books entering the awards. “Over the past several years, we have seen a big increase in the number of entries in the Memoir and Business categories,” Nathan says. “Most of the fiction categories have been experiencing increased entries as well, especially the General Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery & Thrillers categories. In the past two to three years, we’ve also seen a big increase in the number of entries in the Audiobook categories.”
Success Stories
The awards have played a crucial role in highlighting notable works and authors. For example, Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand, published by PAJE Publishing Company, won a Gold Award in 2005 and went on to gain national recognition, raising over $300 million for childhood cancer research.
Ashley Harris of Dexterity Books shares how the awards have impacted their company: “Being involved in the awards program has not only encouraged our authors in their work, but it has also opened new doors of connection with our peers in publishing.” Dexterity Books has been participating in the IBPA award program since 2018, with its first book winning two Gold Awards.
Faith Garcia from Octane Press echoes this sentiment: “Winning an IBPA award is always a joyful moment for us as a company and for our authors. So much of the work that goes into crafting a book is unrecognized, and an IBPA award feels like a nod of appreciation for the many hours of love and labor that bring our books to life.”
Looking Forward
As the IBPA Book Award prepares for its 37th iteration, it continues to uphold the legacy of recognizing excellence in independent publishing while embracing new opportunities for inclusivity and diversity. The rebranding and expansion reflect a forward-thinking approach, ensuring that the awards remain relevant and impactful for years to come.
View photos of past award program ceremonies at ibpabookaward.org/award-photos.