ASKI “Best Books of the Year” Competition as a Navigator for Libraries

Abstract

The traditional all-Russian contest “Best Books of the Year”, which has been organized by the Association of Book Publishers of Russia (ASKI) since 1991 and in which at least 140—150 publishing houses from different regions participate on average, annually determines the most interesting books in 12 nominations. The competition has a serious informational and professional potential, as the results of 2022 have shown. It was stressed that the main significance of the competition is the public presentation of the best book novelties of the most successful publishing houses, including in the regional centers of the Russian Federation. Currently, many publishing projects important for the national culture have small print runs, but participation in the contest and being among its nominees give them an opportunity to gain public recognition and ensure promotion in the book market. Based on the results of the contest, the top-50 best regional publications are compiled.