The Betty and Edgar Sweren Student Book Collecting Contest

Winter 2007-2008

The Betty and Edgar Sweren Student Book Collecting Contest recognizes the love of books and the delight in shaping a thoughtful and focused book collection. All undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a degree program at Johns Hopkins are eligible to enter. All entries are welcome except past winning collections.

Criteria

Each entry will be judged on the extent to which the items in the collection form a coherent pattern of inquiry and/or represent a well defined field of interest. Additionally, consideration will be given to how well the collection reflects the student’s stated goals and interests.

Guidelines:

1. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, enrolled in a degree program at the Johns Hopkins University (Schools of Advanced International Studies, Arts & Sciences, Carey Business School, School of Education, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health and the Peabody Institute of Music) is eligible to enter.

2. All items must be owned and collected by the student who enters the contest.

3. A collection need not consist of, or include, rare or valuable books.  Paper-bound books may be included.  Although the focus is books, the collection may include other media that supports the collection.

4. Collections on any subject are welcome.

To be eligible, contestants must submit:

Student contact information:
Name:
E-mail address:
JHU Status: Undergraduate (freshman, sophomore, etc.) or Graduate (Year)
Degree Program:
School:
Local Address:
Local phone #:
Permanent Address:
Title of Collection:

a. A 2-3 page essay  outlining:
• the purpose of the collection
• how you started the collection
• how the collection was assembled
• the items of greatest interest
• ideas for the collection’s future development

b. A bibliography of 25 or more items (maximum of 50) in the collection.  Each item should be numbered, given a full bibliographic description, and briefly annotated as to its importance to the collection. Please use the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition.

c. Your wish list. A second bibliography listing up to ten items that you would like to add to your collection, with brief annotation stating the reason for adding each item.

To enter the contest, submit your contact information, statement, and bibliography.  Finalists may be asked to bring a portion of their book collection to the Eisenhower Library for final judging.  The winning entries will be displayed on M-Level at the Eisenhower Library.

Entry Deadline: February 15, 2008

Submit all entries to:
The Friends of the Libraries Book Collecting Contest
The Milton S. Eisenhower Library
The Johns Hopkins University
3400 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD  21218
or via e-mail: sdolan@jhu.edu
or by fax: (410) 516-5080

Prizes

The competition includes a graduate and undergraduate division and winners in each division are awarded:
• $1,000 First Place
• $500 Second Place
• $250 Honorable Mention
• Display of selected titles from the winning collections at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library
• A one year honorary membership in the Friends of the Johns Hopkins Libraries
Awards will be presented to the winners in spring 2008 (TBA).  All contestants will be notified by mail of the names of the contest winners. 

Please direct any questions to Shellie Dolan at 410-516-8992 or sdolan@jhu.edu .