i love libraries

Am I the only one geeky enough to think that this is possibly the coolest thing I could possibly be paid money for?  I'm definitely making it a goal to develop my collection regarding the history of science fiction and its criticism to enter this contest for next semester!  I've already got old magazines, new critical approaches, and a bunch of junk in between -- not to mention a crapload of anthologies and novels.  I wonder if they count movies -- no collection of sci-fi history could possibly be complete without Star Wars and X-Files!

The Hill-Shumate Book Collecting Prize

Prizes are open to currently enrolled undergraduates of UC Berkeley. Kenneth E. Hill and Albert Shumate established the prizes to encourage Berkeley students to collect books, to build their own libraries, to appreciate the special qualities of the printed word, and to read for pleasure and education. The Hill-Shumate Prize awards $600 to the winning entry, $300 for second place, and $100 for third place. In addition, all entrants will receive one-year gift memberships in the Friends of The Bancroft Library.

To be considered for the Hill-Shumate Prizes, collections must include at least 50 items. Collections may cover specific authors or subjects, contemporary or historical; they may stress bibliographical features (edition, illustrations, binding, etc.); paperbacks and ephemeral material may be included as long as they significantly reflect the purposes of the collection; modern textbooks should not be submitted.

Judges will give special consideration to how well the collection reflects the student's stated goals and interests. Age, rarity, or monetary value of material in the collections submitted is less important than the thought, creativity, and persistence demonstrated in defining a collection and bringing it into being.

To be considered for the Hill-Shumate Prize, students are asked to submit:

• A brief essay of up to 1000 words describing the nature and character of the collection, how and why it was assembled, when it was begun, its significance, and the future direction(s) the collection may take.
• An informal list of the items in the collection, citing author, title, place and date of publication, type of binding, and condition. Annotations on the importance of individual pieces may be included.

 

After reviewing the essays and lists, the judges may ask finalists to bring selected items from their collections to The Bancroft Library for final judging.

Winners will be announced and awards made at the Annual Meeting of the Friends of The Bancroft Library held in the spring of each year.