The ceremony was addressed by President Danilo Tuerk, who said that books had played a very important role in the history of the Slovenian nation and would continue to do so in the future. He said books should not only be bought but actually read too.
The Publishers' Association, which organises the traditional fair, handed out the Schwentner life-time achievement award to Marij Maver, a Trieste-based minority publisher and editor.
The award for best literary debut went to Katja Perat for her poetry collection "Najboljsi so padli" (The Best Have Fallen).
The Association of Slovenian Literary Translators presented the award for young translator to Stana Anzelj, for her translation of "The City of Dreaming Books" and the Winged Lion award for the best overall book to Gorenjski tisk for a book on the Julian Alps, which was published by Klagenfurt-based publisher Mohorjeva zalozba.
The best book design awards went to publisher Mis for Sasa Pavcek's "Obleci me v poljub" (Dress Me in a Kiss), to Vodnikova zalozba DSKG for "Cudezni Prstan" (The Magic Ring) by Petra Svetina and to Zalozba Rokus Klett for Janez Bogataj's book of recipes "Mojstrovine s kranjsko klobaso iz Slovenije".