Massachusetts Book Awards
Ceremony & Banquet

The Massachusetts Center for the Book is thrilled that the 2005 Massachusetts Book Awards ceremony is being held during MLA’s 21st Century Literacies conference. This very special event is offered to 21st Century Conference registrants for a reduced rate of $30, cash bar.

Now in its fifth year, the Massachusetts Book Awards, a program of the Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB), seeks to bring Massachusetts writers and readers together in libraries for meaningful conversation about books that matter to our shared lives in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Library Association is an important programming partner for the awards.

Each year, MCB receives more than 400 books for consideration for the MassBook Awards, which are given in four categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children's/young adult literature. Eligible books are forwarded to judging panels in each category. MLA helps us to place a librarian on each of the panels, and he or she works with two other judges, drawn from the writing, academic, bookselling and/or book-reviewing communities. Together the three judges choose one award winner and two honors books in their category.

Librarians throughout Massachusetts then volunteer to create reading and discussion/activity guides for each MassBook. MCB hosts those guides at its web site: www.massbook.org. MCB also works with authors and libraries to facilitate author visits to libraries and to encourage libraries to have their friends or local booksellers sponsor book-signings in conjunction with these appearances. In this way, the MassBooks emphasize the central role libraries play in the civic and cultural life of their communities.

All of Massachusetts is book country -- and that is why the MassBook Awards ceremony has travelled from the Boston Public Library (2001), to the Worcester Public Library (2002), to the Eric Carle Museum and National Yiddish Book Center (Amherst, 2003), and to the State House (2004). Now the MassBooks are coming to the MLA -- and we hope you will be in the audience to hear writers talk not only about their work but also about the continuing importance of libraries in their lives.

Join us on November 17 to celebrate this year's Massachusetts Book Medalist and twelve MassBook authors. Among the writers we shall be honoring are fiction writers Lisa Carey, Jim Shepard, Lan
Chang, nonfiction writers James Ault, David Hackett Fischer, Aaron Lansky, poets Lucie Brock-Broido, Steven Cramer, Bill Knott, and children's/young adult writers Molly Bang, Libby Koponen, and Jane Yolen. Most of the authors will be available during the dessert reception for book signings and conversation as well.

5:30pm – 6:30pm
Cocktail Reception - Exhibit Hall
Enjoy fine wine and cocktails in the exhibit hall before the Massachusetts Book Awards Banquet. Cash bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

6:30pm – 9:00pm
Massachusetts Book Awards Banquet and Presentation - Junior Ballroom
Join us to celebrate this year's Massachusetts Book Medalist and twelve MassBook authors. Dinner choices are listed on the registration page. Prepaid Ticket Required.

8:15pm – 9:00pm
Dessert Reception and Book Signing - Upper Lobby
Enjoy dessert, conversation, and booksignings with this year's MassBook authors.