The Kibble Literary Awards, formerly known as the Nita Kibble Literary Awards, are a former set of two Australian literary awards: the Nita B Kibble Literary Award, which recognises the work of an established Australian female writer, and the Dobbie Literary Award, which is for a first published work by a female writer. Named in honour of State Library of New South Wales librarian Nita Kibble, the awards recognise the works of women writers of fiction or non-fiction classified as "life writing". They were established in 1994, and ceased after 2018.
History The Nita Kibble Literary Awards were established in 1994 by Nita Dobbie, through her will, in honour of her aunt, Nita Kibble (1879–1962), who had raised her from birth after her mother died. Kibble, who was the first woman to be a librarian with the State Library of New South Wales, served the role of principal research librarian from 1919 until retirement in 1943, and was founding member of the Australian Institute of Librarians. Dobbie followed her aunt into the library profession, and believed there was a need to foster women's writing in the community.
The Trust established for the award was managed by Perpetual Limited, and the award was administered in association with the State Library of New South Wales.
Both awards were presented annually from their inception until 2016, when they were changed to biennial presentation. The last awards were presented in 2018, "due to a review of the funding trust and the award processes".
Description The Kibble Literary Awards comprised two awards—the Nita B Kibble Literary Award, which recognised the work of an established Australian female writer, and the Dobbie Literary Award, which is for a first published work by a female writer.Kibble Awards for Women Writers The awards recognised the works of women writers of fiction or non-fiction classified as "life writing". This includes novels, autobiographies, biographies, literature and any writing with a strong personal element.
The awards were worth in total in 2018.
Nita B Kibble Literary Award honorees +Nita B Kibble Literary Award winners and finalistsYearAuthorTitleResultRef.1994 Lovers' Knots: A Hundred-Year NovelWinnerFinalist Over My TracksFinalistChristina Stead BioFinalist1995 Winner and Jackie HugginsAuntie RitaFinalistFinalistGeorgianaFinalistHeddy and meFinalist1996 Judy Cassab: DiariesWinnerHotel AlbatrossFinalistCaravanserai: Journey among Australian MuslimsFinalistPenny DreadfulFinalistFinalist1997 True Stories: Selected Non-FictionWinnerFinalistSex and AnarchyFinalistEthelFinalistLeaning Towards InfinityFinalist1998 Snake CradleWinnerGlass After Glass: Autobiographical ReflectionsFinalistDingoFinalistFinalistParadise Mislaid: In Search of the Australian Tribe of ParaguayFinalist1999 Foreign Correspondence: A Pen Pal's Journey From Down Under to All OverWinnerXavier HerbertFinalistWatched by AncestorsFinalistFinalistFinalist2000 Stravinsky's LunchWinnerDrylandsFinalistIdea of PerfectionFinalistOut of the Sky She CameFinalistIsobel on the Way to the Corner ShopFinalist2001 Tiger's Eye: A MemoirWinnerJourney from VeniceFinalist2002 WinnerFinalistOther People's WordsFinalist2003 Black MirrorWinnerFinalistFinalistFinalist2004 That Oceanic FeelingWinnerShotFinalistFinalist2005 PlentyWinnerJoe Cinque's ConsolationFinalistFinalist2006 WinnerFinalistFinalist2007 CarelessWinnerAgamemnon's KissFinalistCaptain Starlight's ApprenticeFinalistDreams of SpeakingFinalistIda Leeson: A LifeFinalist2008 Nights in the AsylumWinnerSorryFinalistBurning InFinalist2009 WinnerBirths Deaths and Marriages: True TalesFinalistFinalist2010 WinnerFinalist The China Garden Finalist2011 Reading by MoonlightWinnerSydneyFinalistBarbara Hanrahan: A BiographyFinalist2012 Five BellsWinnerFoal's BreadFinalistAnimal PeopleFinalist2013 WinnerQuestions of TravelFinalistLike a House on FireFinalist2014 Boy Lost: A Family MemoirWinnerLetter to George ClooneyFinalistMullumbimbyFinalist2015 WinnerWarning: The Story of CycloneFinalistThis House of GriefFinalist2016 Small Acts of DisappearanceWinnerFinalist Second Half FirstFinalist2017No award presented2018 Winner Finalist Finalist Everywhere I LookFinalist
Dobbie Literary Award honorees +Dobbie Literary Award winners and finalistsYearAuthorTitleResultRef.1994For Some ReasonWinnerMy Daughter, My Forever BabyFinalist1995Lapping, Licking and SkinnyFinalist1996H Is for HomoFinalist1997Listening for Small SoundsWinnerNight SurfingFinalistDirtFinalistWhen You Grow UpFinalistFairytales in RealityFinalist1998Steam PigsWinner1999HiamWinner2000Off the Rails: The Pauline Hanson TripWinner2001Craft for a Dry lakeWinnerBruisingFinalistFinalistLove and VertigoFinalist2002WinnerMother Lode: Stories of Home Life & Home DeathFinalist2003WinnerBorrowed EyesFinalistUnearthedFinalist2004WinnerFinalistAsylum: Voices Behind the Razor WireFinalist2005WinnerSalt RainFinalistFinalist2006Everyman's Rules for Scientific LivingWinnerAn Uncommon DialogueFinalistIn My SkinFinalistOut of the SilenceFinalistBalanda, My Year in Arnheim LandFinalist2007Swallow the AirWinnerSalvation CreekFinalistWaterlemonFinalist2008WinnerNine Parts WaterFinalistFinalist2009Fugitive BlueWinnerArthur Boyd: A LifeFinalistAdditionFinalist2010WinnerLittle White SlipsFinalistFinalist2011Night StreetWinnerMy Sister ChaosFinalistCome InsideFinalist2012Past the ShallowsWinnerBearingsFinalistEnd of the Night GirlFinalist2013Toyo: A MemoirWinnerFlounderingFinalistFinalist2014Madness: A MemoirWinnerFinalistHigh Sobriety: My Year Without BoozeFinalist2015Heat and LightWinnerFinalistAfter DarknessFinalist2016Salt CreekWinnerRush Oh!FinalistReckoning: A MemoirFinalist2018WinnerTroppoFinalistFinalist
See also Australian History Awards Australian literature List of Australian literary awards List of literary awards National Biography Award
References