Library launches card-design contest

The Camas Public Library is offering a library card-design contest throughout September, which is the American Library Association’s Library Card Sign-up Month. The library will accept designs until 5 p.m. Sept. 30.

The contest is open to artists of all ages and skill levels, even those who live outside the Camas-Washougal area, outreach librarian Elliot Stapleton said. Contestants can use a range of media, from painting and drawing to digital art and photography. Only one winning design will be chosen.

“This is such a fun way to celebrate the community’s role in the library,” library Director Connie Urquhart said in a press release. “Creativity is at the heart of lifelong learning, and we can’t wait to see how those two come together in our new official library card.”

Library card-design contests aren’t uncommon. FVRLibraries is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a library card-design contest, “Our Stories, Our Communities.” Submissions closed on June 30, and winning cards will be released this month.

The Camas Public Library ran a similar contest, though smaller in scope, in 2022 for its Reading Dragons reading program, Stapleton said. The winning design was produced as a new library card and collectible card for program members.

Original artwork (no reproductions, copyrighted material or AI images) should be submitted in high-quality digital format (at least 300 dpi) using PDF, Illustrator, InDesign or Photoshop. Only one submission is allowed per person. Artwork should include the words “Camas Public Library.” Entry forms and a template with size guidelines are available at cityofcamas.us/library/page/library-card-design-contest. Send submissions to [email protected] with “Library Card Design Contest” in the subject line.