LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND THE PRINCE WILLIAM PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM ANNOUNCE SUMMER ESSAY CONTEST
Rising 5th and 6th Graders Asked to Write About “A Book That Shaped Me”
The Library of Congress is sponsoring a summer essay contest in conjunction with public libraries in the Mid-Atlantic region encouraging rising 5th and 6th grade students to reflect on a book that has made a personal impact on their lives. All of the libraries in the Prince William Public Library System are participating again this year.
The “A Book That Shaped Me” Summer Writing Contest is administered as part of summer reading programs at participating public libraries in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Prizes will be awarded and top winners will be invited to present their essays during a special presentation at the Library of Congress on October 18th. All contest entrants can redeem a free ‘contest prize pack’ at the Library of Congress National Book Festival taking place on August 30th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Students entering 5th and 6th grades in the fall of 2014 are eligible. Essays should be one page in length and must be submitted with an entry form in person at participating public library locations. The deadline for entries is Monday, August 11, 2014. Children’s librarians at your local library branch are available to provide guidance to students preparing essays for contest entry.
“A Book That Shaped Me” will award prizes to five finalists and one winner per state, and to three overall grand prize winners. The three grand prize winners will be selected by a panel of judges assembled by the Library of Congress including educators, children’s authors, and Library of Congress staff.
Submission forms are available at www.pwcgov.org/library. The full list of participating libraries in the Mid-Atlantic region, more information, and program updates will be available at www.loc.gov/bookfest/kids-teachers/booksthatshape/.
Launched in 2012 with the D.C. Public Library, “A Book That Shaped Me’ has since expanded throughout the Mid-Atlantic region with the help of public libraries in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. More than 300 public libraries are registered to participate in this the third program year.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.
For further information about this program visit us on the web at www.pwcgov.org/library.
