KU Libraries announce winners of 65th annual Snyder Book Collecting Contest

Fri, 04/21/23

Wendy Conover

The University of Kansas Libraries announced the winners of the 65th annual Snyder Book Collecting Contest at the awards presentation on April 18. The contest, established by libraries donor Elizabeth Snyder in 1957, is designed to recognize students' passion for collecting books.

“This is a really great way for students to share what they’re interested in, what they love learning about, without constraints,” said Samantha Bishop Simmons, Humanities Librarian and chair of the organizing committee.

John Lubianetsky, a sophomore from Kansas City, Missouri, studying Chinese Language and Literature, Global and International Studies, and Political Science, won first prize in the undergraduate division for his collection, “Utterly Free Books: A Collection of Books Found for Free Across Four Universities,” a collection that urged viewers to consider the origin and meaning of free books.

“I have a route I check sometimes between classes,” Lubianetsky said, describing his favorite free book hotspots around campus. He estimated he has a few hundred items in his free book collection currently. “They always go on my summer reading list, which is a list of books I mean to read but because there’s such a large backlog now, I’m probably set for the next decade or two.”

First place graduate division winner, Tiffani Hagan with her collection “Shakespeare and the Early Modern Occult Theatre” — *First place graduate division winner, Tiffani Hagan answers questions about her collection, “Shakespeare and the Early Modern Occult Theatre.”*

In the contest’s graduate division, Tiffani Hagan, doctoral student in Theatre Studies from Spartanburg, South Carolina, received first place for her collection, “Shakespeare & Early Modern Occult Theatre.” The collection grew organically over the course of her undergraduate career, fueled by a love of the theatrical texts she was studying combined with an interest in Early Modern occult beliefs around alchemy and witchcraft.

Hagan said the best part of entering the contest was sharing her collection with others and seeing their reactions to the items — especially her favorite item, an old copy of “MacBeth,” which she found at an estate sale. The former owner of the book left notes and writings in the book, including an old class schedule, which led Hagan to the discovery that the book had belonged to a former student in her own undergraduate program many years ago.

“Getting to show that discovery to other people and sharing that excitement and being able to win a prize was really interesting and fun,” said Hagan.

Second place in the undergraduate division went to Zac Kitay, a junior from Stamford, Connecticut, studying Journalism, for the multimedia collection, “The Revolutions from Music: What Storytelling Can Teach Us,” which combined Kitay’s love of music, storytelling, and history with a focus on overcoming challenges.

Weston Curnow, a junior from Olathe, Kansas, studying English and Philosophy, received Honorable Mention in the undergraduate division for, “The American Sublime: A Mereological Exploration,” a wide-ranging collection including books, anthologies, and artwork to describe the American experience.

Second place in the graduate division was awarded to Brynn Fitzsimmons, a doctoral degree candidate in English from Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, for the collection, “Abolitionist Worlds,” a topical and purposeful collection spanning abolitionist thought and activism.

Hazlet Henderson, a graduate student in Geography and Atmospheric Science from Lawrence, Kansas, was awarded Honorable Mention in the graduate division for “Touching on Trash: Finding books in dumpsters and wondering about how they got there,” a collection that challenged the viewer to consider what trash is, and how to prevent items from becoming waste.

The event featured keynote speaker, Sarah Henning, a Lawrence-area author and second-generation KU alum. Henning presented on her own book collections and how they have influenced her as an author.

Each winner received a cash prize and a gift card from contest co-sponsor Jayhawk Ink. Cash awards are made possible by an endowment fund created by Mrs. Snyder. First place winners in each division are eligible to compete in the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest, which awards a top prize of $2,500.