The Libris literature prize, named after the Libris book shop chain, started in 1994 and is awarded every year to a writer of a Dutch language novel. The winner is picked by a jury from a shortlist of six and receives €50,000. The five runners-up get €2,500 each. The Netherlands has dozens of literature prizes but the Libris (modelled on Britain’s famous Booker prize) is considered one of the most prestigious.