March 06, 2014
Library plans annual Edible Books Festival
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- When a work of art, a book and a pun all come wrapped in one unique and often colorful package, it must be time for the fourth annual Edible Books Festival at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Morris Library.
Students, faculty, staff and community members are welcome to enter the popular competition on April 1 with prizes including a Kindle e-Reader up for grabs. The contest invites participants to use their creativity and imagination to bring to life book titles using predominately consumable items.
In previous years, contestants have crafted such imaginative, and often “punny” entries as the baklava “Booklava Library,” the cheese “Velveetateen Rabbit,” “The Old Man and the Pea,” Tequilla Mockingbird” and “Green Eggs and Spam.”
There will be prizes for best in show, people’s choice, “punniest,” least edible, most edible, best book structure and best submission from a registered student organization on campus. The contest is open to individuals or groups and this year.
The top prize for an individual entry is an Amazon Kindle e-Reader. The winning RSO entry will earn a pizza party featuring four extra-large pizzas, two dessert pizzas and soda from Primo’s Pizza.
The festival is from 3 to 6 p.m. on April 1, in the Rotunda on the first floor of Morris Library. Submissions will be accepted beginning at 5 p.m. on March 31, by appointment, by email at sprindle@lib.siu.edu, or at the library’s Information Desk. All entries are due by 1 p.m., April 1. Contest entry is free.
Library visitors will select the winner of the people’s choice award while a panel of judges will choose the other winning entries.
The festival, sponsored by SIU Library Affairs and the Friends of Morris Library, uses food and word-play to promote literacy, according to Sarah Prindle, humanities and fine arts librarian.
For more information about the event, or to view entries from previous years, visit www.lib.siu.edu/edible-book-festival. If you have additional questions or want to schedule a time to drop off a contest entry, contact Prindle at sprindle@lib.siu.edu, by calling 618/453-1249 or visiting her office, Room 260C at Morris Library.
Morris Library is also partnering with the Carbondale Public Library this year to hold an “Edible Book” theme story time at Morris Library at 10 a.m. on March 25. Children from the area are welcome to attend.