Louisa Earls, manager of the much loved Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street Dublin was announced as the winner of The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award at the annual Irish Book Trade Conference in Galway.

The annual award recognises outstanding achievement or an invaluable contribution to the book trade by an individual bookseller. Winners are presented with ‘The Elements’, a bronze trophy sculpted by one of Ireland’s leading sculptors, Rowan Gillespie, and a framed commemorative certificate.

Louisa Earls was born into bookselling. Her father Maurice set up Books Upstairs in 1978 and Louisa joined the business in 2015 when it moved to its current premises on D’Olier Street after 27 years on College Green. A much bigger footprint but in a very different location meant that the shop had to reinvent itself, and Louisa grew into the role, expanding into new genres and running events. Just five years later the pandemic meant that a bricks-and-mortar bookseller needed to move rapidly into the digital world. Louisa has kept the things that make Books Upstairs special, built and maintained a fantastic bookselling team and broadened the customer-base with a unique book selection.

Ivan O’Brien, Managing Director of The O’Brien Press said that there is always a warm welcome for readers, authors and publishers in Books Upstairs. ‘Louisa has a quiet authority driven by a real passion for books and reading, and she’s hugely knowledgeable and experienced. She has taken over the running of a family business in the best way – respecting Maurice’s unique bookselling heritage and constantly finding ways to innovate. She’s a very worthy O’Brien Bookseller of the Year.’

The citation on this year’s O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award reads: ‘Louisa Earls, Books Upstairs. Leading her dedicated staff by example, she runs an important shop with modesty and warmth. Always knowledgeable and informed, she goes the extra mile very day to keep the shop exciting, surprising and new. Constantly broadening their audience, running great events and always showing kindness and a genuine welcome to authors make Books Upstairs a real destination.’