Research Guides: Undergraduate Student Book Collecting Contest: Contest Rules

Eligibility

The contest is open to all full-time undergraduate students regularly enrolled at Mississippi State University.
The collections must consist of at least 30 titles, and no more than 50 titles.
Collections may include hardback and paperback books, galleys, uncorrected proofs, advance reading copies, catalogs, booklets, pamphlets, and monographs.
All works must be physical volumes. Digital books, e-books and recent textbooks may not be included in the contest.
All books must be owned and collected by the student. They must be available for inspection by the panel of judges.
Rarity and value are not included in the evaluation of the significance of the collection.

Entries

Each entry must include the following:

A formal application.
An annotated descriptive bibliography of each item in the collection, explaining the importance of each item.
Annotations should be 2-4 sentences long and should describe how each item relates to the collection as a whole and state how and why the item was acquired. Annotations are expected to reflect the collector’s understanding of his or her books.
A typed essay clearly stating the purpose of the collection; the unifying theme and significance of the collection; how the collection was assembled; and how the items are connected or thematically related.
The paper should be double spaced and the pages numbered. Do not include any names or other personal identifying information on the pages.
An annotated wish list of 5 items that you would like to add to your collection that would make the collection more complete.
The annotations should indicate how these items would enhance your collection.
Photographs of unique or representative items will help in the judging process.

The application, annotated bibliography, essay, wish list, and photographs should be combined into a single document, preferably in Microsoft Word or PDF.

Each collection must represent a well-defined, cohesive field of interest. The collection can be academic or general in scope. Examples of collection ideas might include, but not limited to some of the following:

A collection of a specific author’s work.
Example: Eudora Welty or Abraham Lincoln.
A subject collection. Examples:
a. Mississippi political history.
b. Literature relating to the Vietnam War.
c. Foreign language editions of a particular author or of a particular book title.
d. By Genre- such as mysteries set in libraries; local church cookbooks; or children’s illustrated books.
e. Books published by a specific publisher or book designer.

Judging

Judges will be looking for originality, creativity, innovation and uniqueness in each collection. The collections will be judged anonymously. Three judges will select the three finalists using the following criteria:

The formal annotated bibliography.
The written essay about the collection.
The wish list.
All books must be available for inspection by the judges and the semi-finalists must be willing and able to discuss any part or all of the collection with the judges.
The collection must show a well-defined field of interest and a collection of significance.

Finalists

Each of the three finalists is expected to deliver and set up a display of their collection in the Mitchell Memorial Library. Finalists must participate in the interview and collection display competition. (Date and times will be announced.) During this time, judges will circulate among the displays to discuss the collections with the entrants. Tables and display space will be provided by the Library.

Finalists will be required to sign a release form allowing The Mississippi State University Libraries and Special Collections to retain a copy of the winning essays and bibliographies in the University Archives and to post these documents on the Library’s website.

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Undergraduate Student Book Collecting Contest

For More Information

Eligibility

Entries

Judging

Finalists