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Berg, Faber, Grow Story Grow and Search Press lead the nominations at this year's Independent Publishers Guild awards with two each.
Twenty-two publishers have been nominated across eight awards. The winners will be revealed on 10th March, at the Independent Publishers' Guild conference, which will be held at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire.
Alma Books, Bradt Travel Guides, Constable & Robinson and Faber are nominated for The Bookseller Trade Publisher of the Year. Alma was shortlisted for a year of rapid sales growth and commercial and critical successes. Judges said: "Alma conveys a very clear passion and vision. It is quite an achievement for a small company like this to generate the interest in its books that it does.”
Bradt was lauded for its "clearly defined publishing strategy" and use of new media. Judges said: "What Bradt has achieved in a very difficult market is phenomenal. It shows the true spirit of independent publishing."
Constable & Robinson impressed with its new Corsair imprint, solid sales and the relaunch of its MC Beaton crime series. Judges said: "Constable & Robinson makes great use of its backlist but has cleverly diversified its frontlist too."
Meanwhile, Faber was hailed for strong sales, several awards, new apps and business spin-offs including the Faber Factory, Finds and Academy initiatives. "This is a very smart publisher that plays to its traditional strengths while always striving to innovate," said judges.
The awards, run in association with The Bookseller and London Book Fair, mark their fifth anniversary this year. Along with the shortlisted categories, there are three prizes without shortlists. These are the IPG Children's Publisher of the Year, IPG Education Publisher of the Year and the GBS Services to Independent Publishers Award.
The overall IPG Independent Publisher of the Year will be named from a shortlist comprising the winners of the best trade, academic and professional, specialist consumer, children's and education publisher of the year categories.
Bridget Shine, executive director of the IPG, said: "We thank all of our members who entered the 2011 IPG Independent Publishing Awards and congratulate the 22 companies on our shortlists. They all prove that despite the various challenges to publishing at the moment, independents are thriving thanks to their passion, expertise and innovation."
The eight shortlists in full are:
The Bookseller Trade Publisher of the Year
Alma Books, Bradt Travel Guides, Constable & Robinson and Faber
Ingram Academic & Professional Publisher of the Year
Berg Publishers, Continuum and Hart Publishing
IPG Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year
Osprey Publishing, Punk Publishing and Search Press
IPG Newcomer of the Year
Bright Red Publishing, Medikidz and Peirene Press
Nielsen Innovation of the Year
Bloomsbury Publishing, Faber and Grow Story Grow
The London Book Fair International Achievement of the Year
Carlton Publishing Group, Jolly Learning and Search Press
IPG Diversity Award
The 100-Minute Press, Arcadia Books and Urbantopia Books
The Frankfurt Book Fair Digital Award
Berg Publishers, Grow Story Grow, Sage and Top That! Publishing