Book Collecting Prizes

  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Jacqueline Hayre-Perez, Ezra Stiles College, Class of 2021
    WWII: An American Paper Trail
  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Zeshan Gondal, Trumbull College, Class of 2019
    The Religious Sciences of Islam
  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Bix Archer, Berkeley College, Class of 2019
    Self-published or small-run artists’ books and zines
  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Vincent Gleizer, Trumbull College, Class of 2021
    Comics and Graphic Novels, with special attention to LGBTQ+ content, characters, and creators
  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Will Kortum, Grace Hopper College, Class of 2019
    Book as Reference: A collection of graphic, photographic, and historical inspiration
  • 2019 Winning Book Collection
    Nicholas Ruiz-Huidobro Magdits, Trumbull College, Class of 2021
    Peru: Literature, Politics, and Culture of the Land of the Sun
  • 2021 Winning Book Collection
    Al Larriva-Latt, Branford College, Class of 2021
    Towards Liberation: Intersectional Queer Literature
  • 2021 Winning Book Collection
    Şeyma Kaya, Jonathan Edwards College, Class of 2023
    Tales of a City—Istanbul, Fiction and Nonfiction
  • 2022 Winning Book Collection
    Charnice Hoegnifioh, Benjamin Franklin College, Class of 2024
    The Paradigms of American Girlhood throughout United States History
  • 2022 Winning Book Collection
    Bilal Moin, Grace Hopper College, Class of 2024
    Sovereignty, Subterfuge, and the Indian Statesperson
  • 2022 Winning Book Collection
    Will Twomey, Silliman College, Class of 2022
    American 20th-Century Military History
  • 2023 Winning Book Collection
    Enrique Vazquez, Grace Hopper College, Class of 2023
    Tales of the Midwestern Northwoods

To encourage undergraduates to collect books, build their own libraries, and read for pleasure and education, Adrian Van Sinderen, Class of 1910, established two prizes in 1957. The Senior Prize is now $1,000, the Sophomore Prize $700. Prizes for Honorable Mention are awarded at the discretion of the judges. 

The underlying purpose of the competition is to encourage students to build collections characterized by unity of field or subject. First consideration is given to discrimination and judgment in the selection of titles. Collections acquired solely for courses are not acceptable. 

Collections may cover specific subject fields, such as history, biography, literature, philosophy, or the sciences; pertain to a particular interest within one of these fields; be formed for their bibliographical features (i.e., edition, illustrations, bindings, etc.); or represent an intelligently chosen nucleus of a general library. 

Rare editions and fine bindings receive no extra consideration. Paperbacks are acceptable if there is evidence of worthwhile thought and purpose. Subjects of winning collections have included beekeeping, food writing, Virginia Woolf, African American literature, Buddhist scripture, the Esperanto language, architecture, Korea, poetry, Sherlock Holmes, and dance. 

Judges

Adam Van Sinderen Abbate
Joseph Agostini ’93
Nick Aretakis
Seth Bellamy ’25
Basie Gitlin (Co-chair) ’10
Ryan Martins ’20 JD
Rebecca Martz
Miko McGinty (Co-chair) ’93, ’98 MFA
E.C. Schroeder