McConnell Library hosts Sixth Annual Winesett Book Collecting Contest

It was time once again to celebrate the magic of books as the Radford University community gathered on Nov. 18, for the sixth annual Winesett Book Collecting Contest.

The contest is sponsored by McConnell Library as a way to celebrate reading on the RU campus and recognize the special relationship many students have with books.

First-prize winner Kristin Colonna received $600 and a $100 gift certificate to Bookworm & Silverfish Booksellers for her entry titled “Bildungsromans: A Top Shelf Collection that Grows as I Do."

Colonna will be entered into the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest, which carries a top prize of $2,500.

Second prize of $400 and a $50 gift certificate to Bookworm & Silverfish went to Kathleen Sickman for "Ripe for the Clicking,” a collection of public domain texts with original design by Sickman.

A third prize of $150 was awarded to Kristi Shively for "Combating Social Injustices through Children’s Literature”

Winesett entrants submitted a 1,000- to 1,500-word essay describing the creation and growth of the collection, an annotated bibliography of 20 books in the collection and a list of 10 books the contestant would like to add.

The entries were judged by a panel of faculty members who made their decisions based on the creativity and dedication shown in the collection, the quality of the contestant's essay and the personal connection to the collection.

Radford University held the first Winesett Book Collecting Contest in 2009 with funds from the Hazel Grove Winesett Endowment, the largest gift ever given to McConnell Library.

Prize money was provided by the Winesett Endowment and Lorne Bair Rare Books, and gift certificates were provided by Bookworm & Silverfish bookseller.