Sorry Chris I have to disagree with some of the above, although certainly not with the worthiness of the shortlist! The press release was to me a good example of what it should be, an attempt to get the press to pay attention and hopefully run a story; as there will be a radio interview with at least one of the designers I have to say, witness it's success. As for the judging panel, I don't have a problem with the idea of having some non-designers involved, although I agree that the empahasis should be on the design worthiness of the books. I have to say though that I think some of this worthiness must be how well the book fufills the desires of the publisher, whether that is audience appeal or relevance to the contents of the book. I'm one who thinks that creating a good book involves a harmony between the writing, the editing, the design, the printing...all parts of the process working together. My marketing hat is showing I know! I guess all I'm really debating is where the awards should place their emphasis and wanting some to be placed on the audience appeal and connection to the insides of the book, it's success there, but how much emphasis is open to question of course and I hope will be debated further. The design awards are importatant, they deserve attention.

Craig, I think those are valid points, but I reckon that they are also covered by the other book awards (Montana, NZ Post et al).

The Book Design Awards need to be more focused to differentiate them. The annual AIGA '50 Books/50 Covers' awards in the US has got it right, in my view: "Jurors for this competition evaluate each work’s integrated design approach, including concept, innovation and visual elements such as typography, illustration and/or information design."

Those awards are highly regarded and highly coveted, and I believe it's largely due to the clear focus on design rather than marketing, and the expertise of the jurors.

Fair enough Chris, I'm all for recognising designers as much as possible, they're such an esential part of the old book trade at all levels, from the shop floor to the author - and boy, if you could see the looks of dawning delight some design promotes in the author's faces when they see the cover roughs, you'd be chuffed.

I forgot to comment on the typography award too, has it really been dropped? if so, that's really sad. As someone recently introduced to the complexities and delights of type design I've realised how completely vital good type design is.

Well, I also have to disagree on a few points. Firstly, although I haven't seen the entire press release, it sounds as if the headline was perfectly successful. I have worked in journalism, and I can report that most of the best media releases have titles that have something rather truth-stretching in them. The point is to make the release stand out and be noticed, which it obviously did do.

Secondly, whereas I understand your concerns about the judges, I do not think that it is inappropriate to have a book buyer on the panel. Actually, if you believe that a book buyer has little experience to judge a book design award, then you seem not to have very much understanding of bookselling. A good front cover can make all the difference between a book being bought or being ignored. Booksellers have experience in knowing what will attract the customer to pick up a book, and they feel more inclined to display a well designed book than a poorly designed one. They may not be designers, but they certainy understand what sells. Indeed, I have heard that some publishers have changed a cover after their reps have returned from meetings with buyers who have expressed concern about a design.

In the end however, I would like to see more exposure for book designers in New Zealand. The shortlist includes some superb examples of good design. Maybe we should focus more on that?

First, I have to say how happy I am about VUP's strong showing, with 3 books on the shortlists. I'm especially pleased to see Afternoon of an Evening Train and The Colour of Distance there. If I do say so myself, I think they're outstanding examples of classic book design -- "quiet" books, you could say -- which have come about through creative collaboration between the publisher, an engaged author, and a first-rate cover designer. I have my fingers crossed for the big announcement . . .

However, I do have some concerns about the direction of these awards. I don't go along with the idea that it's OK to say anything in a press release in order to attract attention. I think it's a real shame that the books' subjects are highlighted ahead of their design and designers.

I also regret the loss of the design-oriented categories "Best Typography" and "Best Use of Illustration". The new genre categories again highlight the books' subjects and markets rather than design questions.

I do hope that when the winners are announced and the Spectrum Print Book Design Awards catalogue is published, the judges' comments will go beyond general statements about the beauty and balance of the shortlisted books, and provide some technical discussion of how their designers have achieved such outstanding results.

Joseph, I can't let this comment pass by: "... if you believe that a book buyer has little experience to judge a book design award, then you seem not to have very much understanding of bookselling. A good front cover can make all the difference between a book being bought or being ignored."

These awards are not about sales, or putting author's names in gold block sans serif capitals. They're about design. Yes, design has a relationship with sales, but design does not equal sales. And yes, we have all heard the tales of buyers returning from meetings with Whitcoulls, worrying that NZ's biggest chain won't stock the book unless the cover is changed.

None of this should matter. They are the Book Design Awards, not the Most Effective Book Cover Awards.

Thanks Chris for starting this great discussion. Are these awards the Book Design Awards or the Book Designer Awards - e.g. who are they honouring, the publisher or the designer?
I'd like to hear what others views are on the fact that only publishers can submit entries into these Book Design awards?
As for the new categories, it's nice to see that other types of books will now have an opportunity to be recognised. Previously the judging seems to have been too heavily weighted towards 'coffee table' books. There are many other types of book out there that deserve recognition for their own qualities e.g. textbooks and non illustrated. It's nice to see that happening this year. For a book to have be shortlisted it should have exceptional typography already. The rest is great design.

I regret the loss of the typography category, and see it as part of a broader decline in the way we value the gentler arts of making books.
No longer is everyone merely a critic: they also feel perfectly capable of creating their own documents. After all, surely all you have to do is adjust the options on your software and there you have it - instant book/presentation/document.
Which is all well and good, and terribly democratic, and enables more people to get their stuff out there. I'm all in favour of it.
Sadly, alongside that process runs the idea that you don't need to be an expert - just like you don't need to have middle people like editors, proofreaders and designers.
You only have to look at all those websites with bouncing smileys , broken links and plonky soundtracks to know that sometimes expertise is a fine thing. (Not to mention the stray apostrophes.)
The industry shouldn't encourage the idea that a manuscript doesn't need many different skills to turn it into a good book - it still does, even with all our technology. We should take every opportunity to acknowledge those publishers, designers, editors, illustrators, typesetters and printers who create works of lasting value from a file on a supermarket discount CD.

This is a great debate and it did get me thinking...Would I want to be judged by other writers, readers, reviewers, publishers or booksellers? Of course all these groups are vital to the life of a book but how often do you get feedback from your peers?

In case you missed it, or weren't aware it was on, you may be interested in the interview with Lynn Freeman on the Arts on Sunday program that featured Sarah Maxey and Christine Hansen (shortlisted designers in this year's Spectrum Print Book Design Awards). They both have some important points to make about book design, from a designer's point of view. Great to see designers given kudos for their work on a national forum too.

You can hear the interview through the National Radio website or follow the link:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/nr/programmes/artsonsunday

I wonder if the disappearance of the typography award is related to the fact that last year it went to Kate De Goldi and Jacqui Colley's CLUBS -- a book which is entirely handlettered. If even the judges don't understand . . .

As a shortlisted designer, I have to say my feelings about this awards have become as muddled as the awards themselves. I am absolutely dismayed at the reshuffling of categories. It seems that dropping the Typography and Use of Illustration categories suggests that there was scant understanding of the disciplines involved. I thought the press release headline missed the point so badly I could only bury my head in my hands in disbelief. It seems to me to be nonsensical to have a design award judged by non-designers. How absurd.
Thank you, Chris, for a timely and clear-headed article.