McConnell Library Archives and Special Collections presents the
Winesett Book Collecting Contest
The personal book collection of Neil Gaiman, author
of The Sandman, Coraline, American Gods, Stardust,
The Graveyard Book, and many other works. |
Do you like to read? Do you collect books on topics you like? If so, you could win $200 in McConnell Library's first annual Winesett Book Collecting Contest -- just for showing off your book collection!
Featuring two prizes - a $200 First Prize and a $100 Second Prize - the Winesett Book Collecting Contest encourages and celebrates reading and book collecting by Radford University students by providing them with an opportunity to discuss and showcase their personal book collections.
The application deadline is December 11, 2009, the last day of classes. Application guidelines and contest rules are outlined below.
The winner of the Winesett Book Collecting Contest will also be eligible to enroll in the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest. The National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest is only open to winners of college and university book collecting contests - such as the Winesett Book Collecting Contest - and includes a first prize of $2,500, a second prize of $1,000, and a third prize of $500. An award ceremony for the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest will be held at the Library of Congress during the fall of 2010. More details about the National contest are available here.
How to apply for the Winesett Book Collecting Contest
Each application must include the following:
- A list of 15-20 books from your personal collection, following this format:
- Each book must be properly formatted in APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian citation style.
- Each book must have a sentence or two stating its importance to your collection.
- An essay describing why you collect these books, what your collection means to you, and what you see as the theme of the collection. The essay must be 500-1000 words (2-4 double spaced typewritten pages). Creativity is encouraged!
- A list of 5-10 more books that you don't own, but would like to add to your collection.
- An application form, available for download here. The form includes details on submitting your final application.
Contest rules and regulations:
- Submissions will be judged based on the creativity and thoughtfulness exercised in developing the collection, the strength of the essay, and what the collection means to the owner - not on the academic or "literary" quality of the books in the collection.
- The contest is open to all undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at Radford University during the Fall 2009 semester.
- The books must be personally owned by the student. The collection can contain hardback and/or paperback books, but no library books or textbooks are allowed.
- The essay should address the following:
- What is the purpose of the collection?
- How did you start the collection?
- How did you become interested in this topic or theme?
- How did you go about finding these particular books?
- What are some of your favorite books in the collection, and what makes them special?
- Topics and themes can be diverse, encompassing literature, history, science-fiction, natural history, astronomy, memoirs, criminal justice, Virginia history and culture, vampires, economics, the Beatles, travel books, popular novels, mystery novels, eco criticism, short story collections, women novelists, the American Civil War, American poets, Beat writers, books on sports – whatever titles have fueled your passion to read and collect books.
- The theme can be as broad ("My collection of novels") or narrow ("My collection of books about the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson.") as you like.
- Contest winners will be required to let McConnell Library borrow 10 books from their collections for display. Books will be displayed in a locked case in the library during the month of February and returned in March. We'll show off your collections!
- A panel of four judges will review the applications. The judges include library faculty and staff and teaching faculty.
- Two prizes will be awarded: a first place prize of $200, and a second place prize of $100.
- The deadline for submissions in December 11, 2009 – the last day of classes.
Timetable for 2009 Winesett Book Collecting Contest:
- Friday, December 11, 2009 - 4:00 PM - Deadline to submit applications.
- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Finalists will be notified.
- January 2010 - An award ceremony and prize presentation will be held the first week of the Spring 2010 semester (the final date to be announced later).
For questions, comments, or information, please contact Gene Hyde at wehyde@radford.edu or 540-831-5692.
Prize money for the Winesett Book Collecting Contest is provided by the Winesett Endowment. To learn more about the library benefactor who endowed this prize, please refer to "Hazel Grove Winesett: The Best Friend," a biographical essay by University Librarian David Hayes.
Some of the books in Neil Gaiman's personal collection. The photographs of Neil Gaiman's library are used with with the kind permission of Kyle Cassidy.
Return to Archives and Special Collections
For information about the RU Archives please contact Gene Hyde, Archivist and Appalachian Collection Librarian, at wehyde@radford.edu or 540-831-5692.
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