The New Ulm Public Library (NUPL) is holding an art contest to select three new library card designs! We are looking for designs that showcase the value of NUPL. What does the library mean to you and/or how does the library make your life better? Three winning designs will be selected in June and the new limited edition cards will be available approximately late July 2024.

Contest Guidelines:

Adults, teens and children ages five and up, living in the New Ulm Public Library service area, may participate in this art contest. Three winning designs, one from each age group, will be selected from the entries. Entries may be dropped off at the New Ulm Public Library or submitted via email to tbnnotices@tds.lib.mn.us. Art submissions will be accepted in digital media and fine art (acrylics, drawings, oils, prints or watercolors). No photography, film, video, animation or crafts will be accepted. One submission per person. Deadline to submit artwork is June 1.

Selection of Winning Designs:

Entries submitted by the deadline will first be judged by a judging panel. The judging panel will select nine finalists–three from each age group–by June 14. Public voting to determine the three winners from the nine finalists will commence June 17. Votes may be cast online at www.newulmlibrary.org or in person at NUPL. The online voting platform will be available at www.newulmlibrary.org once the nine finalists have been selected.

Entry Submission:

Entry forms are available at NUPL and online at www.newulmlibrary.org. Artists may create a design on the entry form or, if thicker paper is required for painted designs, a design of the same size on different paper or digitally–measurement ratio 6.75 x 4.25 inches–may be submitted. The box on the entry form is four times the size of a library card. Library staff will reformat entries so that a print of the design fits on a library card. Please keep in mind, during resizing, it is likely the edges of the design will be cropped. Artwork and the signed entry form may be submitted at NUPL or via email to tbnnotices@tds.lib.mn.us.

We are here to help! If you have any questions about the contest, feel free to call the library at 507-359-8331 or email Assistant Library Director Meggin Kitterman at mkitterman@tds.lib.mn.us.

New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway and is open Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.