Benjamin Franklin Awards

now the IBPA Book Awards

 

Named originally in honor of America’s most cherished publisher/printer, the Benjamin Franklin Awards have been bestowed each year since 1985 by the Independent Book Publishers Association to recognize excellence in independent publishing. In 2025, the name of this award was changed to the “IBPA Book Awards” to better align with the IBPA brand.

The Benjamin Franklin Awards/IBPA Book Awards have become established as one of the publishing industry’s premier award competitions. Although initially created by IBPA to recognize independent publishers, the competition is also open to hybrid, author, university and association publishers, large or small, that are members of IBPA.

Publications, grouped by category, are judged on editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field. Submissions are winnowed down to three or four finalists in each category. One winner in each category receives the Gold Award, while the remaining finalists in that category receive the Silver Award.

The trophies are presented to the publishers during a gala awards ceremony on the last evening of the annual Publishing University.

Aquila Polonica is proud that every one of its books published so far has been honored with either a Gold and/or a Silver Benjamin Franklin Award—establishing an outstanding track record of excellence in independent publishing.