Southwest Book Awards Guidelines

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To Book Publishers and Others: 

The Border Regional Library Association is seeking nominations for the annual SOUTHWEST BOOK AWARDS competition. Any publisher having one or more items which meet the criteria is invited to submit one review copy of each for consideration. Nominations submitted by individuals are also welcome.
Since 1971 the Southwest Book Awards have been presented in recognition of outstanding books about the Southwest published each year in any genre (e.g. fiction, nonfiction, reference) and directed toward any audience (scholarly, popular, children). Original video and audio materials are also considered.​

1. About the Southwest, defined as Far West Texas (geographically south of the New Mexico state border), New Mexico, Arizona, and the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila. Books about the Southwest with some content about other areas of the U.S.-Mexico border, such as Laredo, the lower Rio Grande Valley, and Baja California Norte, are also eligible.
2. Appearing in book or non-print format for the first time.
3. Published between August 1 of the previous year and July 31 of the current year.
4. Of high quality, both in the context of the current year's entries and in the existing body of Southwestern literature.
5. Books are sought which reflect and interpret the Southwest. A scholarly work must make a well documented contribution to scholarship in some aspect of Southwestern history or culture. Other nonfiction works should make reliable information accessible to the general reader. Poetry and fiction must reflect Southwestern culture and/or be set in the Southwest.

Review copies must be received by September 30 of this year. Nominations, which must include the official date of publication, should be sent to the address given below. Questions can be directed to either of the committee chairs, Lisa Weber, 915-747-5039, [email protected] or Susannah Holliday, 915-747-6839, [email protected]. Awards will be announced this December and formally presented at our annual Awards Banquet early next year.

We deeply appreciate your support. The purpose of the Southwest Book Awards is to stimulate writing and promote publication of materials about the Southwest - an effort which we believe is mutually beneficial.
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BRLA Southwest Book Awards
c/o Susannah Holliday
​UTEP Library
500 University
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX 79968-0582