The British Book Awards, commonly known as the Nibbies, took place at Grosvenor House, London on Monday 11th May 2026 with the central aim of celebrating ‘books and the people who make them’ (The Bookseller, 2026a). An honourable mention must be given to Edinburgh-based publisher Canongate, who were nominated for both Publisher of the Year and Independent Publisher of the Year after securing a spot in TCM’s top 20 publishers in 2025 (The Bookseller, 2026b). However, it was in the Independent Bookshop of the Year and Library of the Year categories where Edinburgh truly excelled, as Book Lovers Bookshop and The City of Edinburgh Council Library Service emerged victorious. In a year where we are being encouraged to ‘Go All In’ (National Literacy Trust, 2026), seeing these two local institutions celebrated reinforced where Edinburgh excels within the industry – its community focus.

The Independent Bookshop Award celebrates booksellers across Ireland and the UK who play a central role in their communities while also bringing ‘passion and knowledge’ to bookselling (Moncur, 2026a).  If you live in Edinburgh, you will be no stranger to Argonaut Books and Book Lovers Bookshop who were both shortlisted for the award. Book Lovers, the UK’s first bricks-and-mortar romance-only bookshop (Bailey, 2025), is owned by Edinburgh Napier University MSc Publishing alumni Caden Armstrong. In just under its two years in business, Book Lovers have hosted over 300 events (The Bookseller Editorial Team, 2026b) featuring some of the biggest names in romance as well as debut authors. Armstrong has created a space for romance authors and fans to feel welcome and celebrated, especially during the recent boom in the romance genre (Bailey, 2025). What Book Lovers Bookshop has achieved in such a short time demonstrates the power of representing and celebrating your community through the provision of a safe, inclusive space.

Out of 46 finalists across Ireland and the UK, a collaborative Secret Santa project between Saughton Library at HMP Edinburgh, Edinburgh Oxgangs and the council’s Mobile Library Service saw The City of Edinburgh Council Library Service awarded Library of the Year (The Bookseller Editorial Team, 2026b; The City of Edinburgh Council, 2026). The project involved gifting incarcerated individuals gift-wrapped library books to open on Christmas Day with 15% of the prison population taking part (Moncur, 2026a). The project was the first of its kind, established to tackle low literacy rates while also depicting the ability of reading to encourage empathy (Moncur, 2026a). This project demonstrated the power of reading for mental wellbeing while also highlighting the work of libraries for the communities they serve.

Not only are libraries and bookshops sanctuaries to foster and rediscover a love of reading, but they are essential safe and inclusive community spaces. These institutions are the backbone of the publishing industry – because what are books without the people who read and advocate for them? At a time where it can seem like moving to London is inevitable to secure a role in publishing, these victories demonstrate that the literary scene in Edinburgh is well and truly thriving!  

Bibliography:

Bailey, C. (2025). ‘They’re not inclusive, I’m inclusive’: the growth of specialist genre-based bookshops. [online] The Bookseller. Available at: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/theyre-not-inclusive-im-inclusive-the-growth-of-specialist-genre-based-bookshops.

Moncur, R. (2026a). Book Lovers Bookshop and Edinburgh libraries British Book Awards win. [online] The Herald. Available at: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26097037.book-lovers-bookshop-edinburgh-libraries-british-book-awards-win/ [Accessed 14 May 2026]. 

Moncur, R. (2026b). Two Edinburgh bookshops named as finalists at British Book Awards 2026. [online] The Herald. Available at: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25864994.two-edinburgh-bookshops-named-finalists-british-book-awards-2026/ [Accessed 13 May 2026]. 

National Literacy Trust (2026). 5 things you need to know about the National Year of Reading 2026. [online] National Literacy Trust. Available at: https://literacytrust.org.uk/blog/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-national-year-of-reading-2026/. 

The Bookseller Editorial Team (2026a). The British Book Awards 2026 Indie Bookshop, Small Press and Library of the Year winners revealed. [online] The Bookseller. Available at: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/news/the-british-book-awards-2026-indie-bookshop-small-press-and-library-of-the-year-winners-revealed [Accessed 13 May 2026].

The Bookseller Editorial Team (2026a). The British Book Awards 2026 trade shortlists revealed. [online] The Bookseller. Available at: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/the-british-book-awards-2026-trade-shortlists-revealed [Accessed 13 May 2026]. 

 The City of Edinburgh Council (2026). Edinburgh Libraries celebrate Scotland regional win at The British Book Awards. [online] The City of Edinburgh Council. Available at: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/14377/edinburgh-libraries-celebrate-scotland-regional-win-at-the-british-book-awards [Accessed 15 May 2026].

Image Credit:

Carbery, K. (2025) Book Lovers Bookshop