2008 Student Book Collection Competition Rules
1. All contestants must be currently enrolled MSU students.
2. Book collections must be owned and have been collected by the student contestant.
3. A contestant may enter only one collection. Previous winning collections will not be eligible for re-entry.
4. A collection may include any number of books with a variety of bindings.
5. Each student contestant will submit an electronic copy (diskette or pasted text into an e-mail message to birdie@msu.edu.) of the following along with the entry form:
- A short statement (500 words maximum) describing how and why the collection was assembled.
- An annotated bibliography of the books. For collections containing more than 50 books, annotations beyond 50 are optional. A sample annotation follows:
| Hurston, Zora Neale. Jonah's Gourd Vine. Philadelphia:J.B. Lippincott, 1934 |
| This is a copy of the first edition of Zora Neale Hurston's first novel. Hurston is well known as one of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and her later book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is one of the most famous novels of that period. |
6. Entries must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Monday, March 24, 2008, to:
| Birdie Beckwith, Director's Office, Main Library. Questions can be directed to Mrs. Beckwith at 432-6123 ext. 143. |
7. Each collection will be judged according to the following criteria:
- How effectively the contestant presents in the introductory statement accompanying the collection the purpose the collection fulfills.
- How effectively the books support and meet the contestant's stated field of collecting interest.
- How effectively the books comprising the collection represent a cohesive body or unifying theme.
- How unique are the individual books contained in the collection? (e.g., first editions, significant imprints, etc.)
- How significant, unusual, and intrinsically interesting is the book collection.
8. Applications, including the annotated bibliography, will be retained by the MSU Libraries.
9. The panel of judges will review the statements and bibliographies and select 4-6 finalists. The decision of the panel will be binding and final.
10. The finalists will be notified by Thursday, April 3, 2008.
11. On Thursday, April 10, 2008 finalists will be expected to bring a selection from their collection to the Main Library lobby for display. Each finalist will have approximately 3x6 feet for a display. The display, which is the responsibility of the contestant, needs to be arranged for final judging no later than 1:00 p.m. on the 10th.
12. A reception to announce the winners will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2008, at 3:30
p.m. in the Main Library lobby. The following prizes will be awarded:
1st place - $500.00 2nd place - $250.00 Other finalists - $100.00
13. Finalists may be asked to permit display of their collections in the Libraries' exhibit cases.
14. The book collections will be accorded the best of care throughout the process; however, neither the Friends of the MSU Libraries, the MSU Libraries or MSU will be responsible or liable for these materials.
