Jason Koski/University Photography

Tamar Weinstock '09, first-place undergraduate student winner in the library book collection contest, talks with Elliott Meisel '68 April 17 in the Kinkeldy Room of Uris Library about her collection on interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.

Book collections about guinea pigs, atheism, the legal culture of medieval Europe and the Buckley language of politics were just a few of the book collections submitted in Cornell's seventh annual Book Collection Contest, sponsored by Cornell University Library and the Library Advisory Council.

In an April 17 ceremony in Uris Library's Kinkeldy Room, first prize in the undergraduate division went to Tamar Weinstock '09 for her collection on interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, from traditional to literary to feminist. The collection includes a 1709 book of commentary that was brought to the United States by a relative who left Germany in the early 20th century.

Will Smiley's collection of everything ever written by the American poet and essayist Mark Strand, as well as Strand's influences, garnered first prize in the graduate-student category.

"The first poem I ever read was a Mark Strand poem," said Smiley, a poet himself who is getting his Ph.D. in English and began his collection a decade ago. "I didn't start collecting for the sake of having rare, valuable books; it was that I wanted the literature to be accessible to me, literally."

Weinstock and Smiley each won $1,000. Contestants entered personally owned collections of fewer than 50 items. Up to 20 of the items could be in such non-book formats as photographs or DVDs, and collections were judged on their substance and scope -- not size, rarity or financial value. Contestants submit a descriptive essay about their collections and a 10-item wish list, and judges consider how well the collections reflects students' stated goals and how well their essay articulate them.

Judges chose 10 finalists, five undergraduate students and five graduate students. All contestants went home with book plates, and each contestant will have one bookplate placed in a library book donated in his or her honor.

"I really appreciated seeing the variety of different passions," said Brenda Marston, librarian and curator of the Library's Human Sexuality Collection, who served as a judge. "They found a niche that spoke to them -- it's so refreshing to see people living in the world of words."

In the undergraduate category, Michael Gluck '11 and Vikash Khanna '09 tied for second place with their collections, "The Balance Between Written Language and Visual Image: From Great Illustrated Classics to Artists' Books" and "The Buckleys: Connoisseurs of the Language of Politics," respectively. Mark Collins '11 and Jeffrey Maendel '10 each won honorable mention awards.

Graduate student Eilis Monahan earned second prize with "Egyptomania: On Becoming a Collector of Collectors," and Mario J. Roman earned third place with "En Vogue: Writings and Visuals of Dress, Fashion and Culture." Honorable mention awards went to Thomas McSweeney and Vincent Weaver.

Co-sponsored by Cornell University Library and the Library Advisory Council, the competition included two other judges: Martha Coultrap of the Library Advisory Council and Janet McCue, associate university librarian for teaching, research, outreach and learning services.

Gwen Glazer is a staff writer for Library Communications.