Hooray! Have just learned that our own Richard E. Abel, known as the “father of the modern day library approval plan” and founder of numerous publishing presses including Timber Press, has been selected as the recipient of the 2008 Jack D. Rittenhouse Award by Publishers Association of the West. Richard Abel was selected from a slate of nominees for having established vibrant and profitable publishing businesses that serve as a model to his colleagues. As we all know from his memoirs currently being published in the print edition of Against the Grain, Richard worked in a bookstore, became a bookstore owner, started a private press for limited edition books, founded a company that grew into an international library distributor, founded a book marketing and distribution company, started a trade publishing company that has grown into a well respected mid-sized publisher, and is the author of numerous articles and a forthcoming book. Presentation of the Riittenhouse Award will take place at PubWest’s annual National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show in Portland, OR on Saturday, November 15, 2008. The Rittenhouse Award is given annually in memory of Jack D. Rittenhouse, the West’s consummate bookman. During his long career, Rittenhouse was a writer, bookseller, publisher, lecturer, and mentor. He left a lasting mark on the book community, both in his work and with the people who followed him and this award was established as a way to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the book community in the West. Prior winners of the Rittenhouse Award are Jene and Jetta Lyon (1991), Fred Pruett (1992), David Flaccus (1993), Dwight and Carol Myers (1994), Gordon Saull (posthumously in 1995), Tom Auer (1996), Joyce Meskis (1997), Tony Hillerman (1998), Katharine J. McCanna (1999), Lisa Knudsen (2000), Robert C. Baron (2001), Mary Powell (2002), Fredrick A. Praeger (posthumously in 2003), Dick and Judy Noyes (2004), Elizabeth A. Geiser (2005), Linda Ligon (2006) and Gibbs Smith (2007).
http://www.pubwest.org