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Rules for the 2008 Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry
For the Most Distinguished Book of Poetry Published in 2006 or 2007,
OR For Lifetime Achievement in Poetry
1. ELIGIBILITY. Only publishers may submit entries. The award is to the poet, who must be a living United States citizen.
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Book: A book ("Book") is hereby defined as a collection of printed leaves that have been folded, secured by adhesive along the binding edge (perfect binding; no saddle-stitched or stapled binding), bound, and published in a standard edition of not less than 1,000 copies. A Book to be considered for the Bobbitt National Prize must have been written by a single poet; collaborations and anthologies do not qualify. The Book must be the original work of the poet.
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To nominate for "most distinguished book of poetry published in 2006 or 2007": Books must have been published in 2006 or 2007. Poets' first poetry Books or Books composed of new work of any length will qualify. Collected or selected works will qualify only if they include at least thirty new poems previously unpublished in book form (prior publication in journals, magazines, etc. is acceptable).
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For "Lifetime Achievement in Poetry": publishers may not nominate poets for Lifetime Achievement. The awarding of the Bobbitt National Prize for Lifetime Achievement will be at the sole discretion of the jurors of a particular year’s awarding.
The Library of Congress does not require that Books submitted for consideration for the Bobbitt Prize forego other competitions. Bobbitt Prize submissions may be entered elsewhere for any other prizes without affecting eligibility for the Bobbitt Prize, provided such Book meets the criteria described above.
2. SUBMISSION. Publishers are urged to be selective in their nominations, but there is no limit on the number of nominations a publisher may make. Books and ineligible submissions will not be returned under any circumstances. Send four copies of each nominated Book to:
Bobbitt Prize
Poetry and Literature Center
The Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4861.
Include for each title submitted:
1) the completed entry form;
2) a suggested $50 contribution to the "Poetry and Literature Fund" of the Library of Congress;
3) a postage-paid postcard with which the Library can acknowledge receipt.
3. SUBMISSION DEADLINE. The entry package must be postmarked no later than February 6, 2008. Packages postmarked after this date will not be eligible. Incomplete packages (e.g. those not containing four copies of the submission, not accompanied by the entry form) are ineligible.
4. SELECTION. The three-member 2008 jury will make its selection in Spring 2008. The Library reserves the right to change members of the jury without notice and not to award the Bobbitt Prize if, at the sole discretion of the Library, such action is necessary. Submissions for the Bobbitt Prize are evidence of unqualified acceptance of the Bobbitt Prize’s rules and conditions. The Bobbitt Prize jury’s selection is final. The Library will announce the winner of the prize to electronic media outlets, to major newspapers and to major literary magazines. On a selected date in 2008, the Librarian of Congress will present the $10,000 prize to the poet at a ceremony, and the winner will give a public reading from the winning book or a reading from his/her work if awarded the Bobbitt Prize for Lifetime Achievement.
Download the 2008 Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry Entry Form [PDF/14k]