Diary of Gold Ink 2001
In sitting down to write about this year's Gold Ink judging process, the oft-quoted "out of the mouths of babes" came to mind. This marked my first year of involvement in the contest, and I believe the phrase would provide an appropriate backdrop for a behind-the-scenes account of the process—from start to finish. Many of BookTech the Magazine's readers write to inquire about the adjudication process, so, here's an overview, in anticipation of announcing the 2001 winners in the next issue, and to give credit where it's due—to our staff and tireless judges.
04.02.01-05.08.01
Good things come in all packages
At first, the entries trickled in slowly. But in a matter of days, the mailroom was flooded with poster-sized packages, FedEx envelopes, heavy parcels and even one odd-shaped triangular container. Too soon for the holidays, this influx of goodies could only mean one thing, Gold Ink 2001! Each package was opened by our intrepid team with great anticipation. And with each new discovery, work was frequently interrupted with the cries of "Oh wow, come check this out!"
Once the barrage of packages was opened and cataloged, en-trants' information was entered into our database, allowing us to properly manage the wealth of contributors who took part in the loving care given to each entry's creation, production and manu-facturing.
Now that the preparation for the awards was complete, it was time to welcome our judges for three full days of adjudication.
05.09.01- 05.11.01
The judges arrive
The prestige of the Gold Ink awards is a direct by-product of the caliber of judges who graciously volunteer their time each year to determine the winners. With just the promise of free coffee and sandwiches, a variety of industry professionals take off a day from work to pour over countless entries and to select the top examples of production by category. Re-quiring a keen eye? You betcha. Arduous? Yep. Fun? Definitely (so we're told!). The collective excitement displayed by these production veterans when viewing exemplary work was infectious and a true pleasure to witness.
