TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama Libraries is sponsoring a Book Collecting Contest for UA students during September and October this fall semester.

The contest aims to promote reading and interest in book collecting.

“The contest is a wonderful way to recognize the many book collectors in our student community,” says John Sandy, UA librarian and book collecting committee chair.

The UA Libraries Book Collecting Contest will showcase the interests and changing book collecting habits of students in the 21st century and may feature things like comics, Manga, ‘Zines, as well as more traditional formats and subjects such as Civil War history or the work of a single author or artist.

Entries will be judged in two groups -- undergraduate students and graduate students -- with the contest winners in each group receiving cash prizes of $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd place.

In addition, contest winners will receive a one-year membership in the Rotunda Library Society, the UA Libraries friends group, as well as the Alabama Center for the Book.

Winning book collections will also be featured in an exhibition in Gorgas Library for two months following announcement of the winners.

Contest entry forms and rules can be picked up at Gorgas, Bruno, Rodgers, McLure or Hoole libraries or downloaded from the UA Libraries Web site at www.lib.ua.edu/mystuff.

Deadline for entries is Oct. 6.

For more information, contact John Sandy at 205/348-2111 or jsandy@ua.edu.