Seymour Adelman Book Collector's Prize

Are you a collector - or maybe a collector in the making? Do you see value and coherence in a group of books that other people may not notice? We want to hear from you! 

Pop-up info session: February 27th 11:30-1pm in Campus Center. Drop by to learn more about the contest!

2026 Contest Rules:

• Deadline: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
• Submit:

1. a concise statement (250-500 words) explaining your book collection and how it began. See further explanation below (The Collection).
2. an annotated bibliography that includes all items in the collection. Please provide a brief explanatory or evaluative note after each citation.
3. your name, e-mail address, and class year.

• Send your statement and bibliography to Marianne Hansen at mhansen@brynmawr.edu.

More information for entering:

• The Collection may include books, manuscripts, and/or ephemera. It may focus on any theme or genre, a single author or illustrator, a publisher, a printing technique, or any other characteristic you can specify. Evaluation will be based on the motivation behind the collection, its coherence and originality. The size of the collection or monetary value is not a determining factor.
• The Interview. During your scheduled session with the judges, you will be able to show five sample books from your collection. Interviews will take place in mid April.
• Prizes. First prize is $500. Second prize is $250. Both prizes include a copy of John Carter's ABC for Book Collectors. The judges may decide to award more than one prize at any level, or not to award a prize at any level, depending on the number and quality of the entries. The top prize winner of the Adelman contest will be eligible for the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest. 

If you have any questions, want to know more about previous entries, or just want to talk about your collection, please write mhansen@brynmawr.edu.

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About the Contest

The annual contest takes place during the spring semester and is open to all registered Bryn Mawr College undergraduates. Each contestant submits a concise statement (250-500 words) explaining their collection and how it began, and an annotated bibliographic list of the collection. The annotated bibliography includes a citation and a descriptive entry or commentary for each item in the collection. Many past submission have included 20-50 books. The collection must be owned by the student. It may be any theme or genre, a single author or illustrator, a publisher, a printing technique, or any other characteristic you can specify - and may include books, graphics, manuscripts, and/or ephemera.

Each finalist gives a short show and tell with five examples from their collection during the interview. Evaluation is based on the motivation behind the collection, its coherence and originality. The size of the collection or monetary value is not a determining factor.

Most years there is a first and a second prize, but the judges may decide to award two firsts, two seconds, or any other combination of prizes. Winners are eligible to enter the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest. Prizes are awarded at student award ceremonies and/or convocation.

A previous winner may enter again only if a different collection is submitted. A previous non-winning entry may be submitted again, although the collection must show development since the first entry.

Previous winners and their collections are listed at the end of this page.

Seymour Adelman, who was Honorary Curator of Rare Books at Bryn Mawr College, gave his own collection of books and manuscripts to the Bryn Mawr College Library in 1976. Adelman believed that students are often collectors without realizing it, and he established the Seymour Adelman Book Collector's Prize in 1979 in order to encourage students to think about their books in a new way. This prize, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Bryn Mawr College Library, was first awarded in 1980.

For more information, please contact the Curator of Rare Books, Marianne Hansen.

Past Winners