*Apologies for cross posting*

The CWA Dagger in the Library Award, 2012 
Libraries can nominate now for The Crime Writers’ Association Dagger in the Library Award. It is the only writing award selected entirely through libraries. Sponsored by the publishers, Random House, the Dagger is awarded to a crime writer nominated by library users and chosen by a panel of librarians. 

The Dagger in the Library is awarded not for an individual book but for the author’s body of work - therefore, although the award is aimed at up-and-coming rather than well established authors, they should have published three or more books. Last year’s winner was Mo Hayder, and previous winners have included Ariana Franklin, Colin Cotterill, Stuart MacBride and Craig Russell. The judges read hundreds of books in the course of their deliberations, and are looking for an author of quality who has been discovered and enjoyed by library users, and deserves special recognition. The winner gets a £1,500 prize as well as the covetted CWA dagger.

The nominated authors must be alive, preferably working in Britain and cannot have won the award before. Libraries can nominate up to three authors for their Library, plus three for each of their associated reading groups. Reading groups who nominate the winning author will be entered into a draw for £300 to be spent on books, and all groups who nominate the shortlisted authors get entered into a draw for two tickets to the awards announcement. 

This year’s judging panel is chaired by Karen Fraser, Executive Manager at Shetland Library, and includes Librarians from throughout the UK: Cheney Gardner from LB Richmond, Mobeen Khan from Hertfordshire, John Martin from Leicestershire, Helen McNabb from Vale of Glamorgan, Deborah Ryan from the RNIB and Sue Wilkinson from Birmingham. 

Nominations close on 31st March 2012, and should be made by email to [log in to unmask] by a member of staff from the nominating Library. Nomination forms, downloadable posters and more information can be found at http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/library