Winesett Book Collecting Contest accepting submissions

Students, do you have a prized book collection? Now is your opportunity to share it and, maybe, take a first prize of $750 at McConnell Library’s Seventh Annual Winesett Book Collecting Contest.

McConnell Library will host the contest to showcase students’ personal book collections and celebrate the joys of reading. Book collections can be anything you treasure – themed collections, favorite books from your childhood, graphic novels, even Japanese manga, if that’s your passion.

The contest is open to all students (part-time, full-time, undergraduate and graduate) and it awards cash prizes of $750, $500 and $150 for first, second and third places, respectively. The first-place winner has the opportunity to be entered into the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest, which carries a top prize of $2,500. The winner’s books will be on display at McConnell Library.

To enter, students must draft a 500-750 word essay describing the creation and growth of their personal collection and provide an annotated bibliography of 20 books in the collection.

Submissions will be judged based on the creativity and thoughtfulness exercised in developing the collection, the overall strength of the essay and what the collection means to the owner. 

Submissions are due Nov. 6 by midnight. The awards ceremony and Illuminated Pages and Spineless Volumes Exhibition will take place on Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. 

More contest guidelines and the contest submission form are located at the contest website.

McConnell Library and the Scholar-Citizen Initiative are also hosting a concurrent book drive to benefit Smart Beginnings reading programs in New River Valley child care centers. Children’s books of all types are welcome and picture books are most appreciated. Please consider sharing the joys of reading with local children by contributing to the book donation box in the Main Reading Room of McConnell Library.  

For more information about the contest or book drive, contact McConnell Library’s Bethany Mott at 540-831-6126 or bmott2@radford.edu.

Oct 8, 2015