2025 Bookmark Design Contest
Entry Form: 2025 Bookmark Contest Entry Form
Ever flipped through a great library book and found a beautifully designed bookmark inside? Imagine that bookmark was yours. This September, during National Library Card Sign-Up Month, we’re giving young artists a chance to make their mark — literally — with the 2025 Bookmark Design Contest at Manhattan Public Library.
Mark Your Calendar
📅 Entries accepted: September 1–30, 2025
📢 Winners announced: Beginning the week of October 3, 2025
The Big Idea
This year’s theme is:
“Between the Shelves: So much more than stories!”
We know our shelves are full of amazing books, but they also hold space for so much more — storytimes that spark little imaginations, craft programs that turn ideas into art, technology classes that open new skills, cozy corners for studying or catching up with friends, community events that connect neighbors, and even hands-on learning through our Library of Things.
You can capture any of these ideas in your bookmark — or dream up your own vision of what the library means to you. Stick to the theme, or go completely off-script… we just want to see your creativity shine.
We’ll choose one winner in each of three age groups:
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5–8 years
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9–13 years
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14–18 years
Prizes:
🏅 See their design printed on real library bookmarks — shared with readers all over Manhattan.
🎟 Receive a pass to The Museum of Art + Light — the perfect spot for creative inspiration.
Your bookmark might just end up tucked into the pages of a child’s first chapter book, a teen’s favorite fantasy novel, or an adult’s cozy mystery.
How to Jump In
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Grab an official entry form from the Children’s Department, Teen Zone, or our website.
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Create your masterpiece within the 2-by-8-inch template. Any style goes — bold colors, delicate line work, digital art, or good old crayons.
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Turn it in by September 31, 2025:
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Drop it off in the red box in the Children’s Department or Teen Zone.
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Mail it to: Manhattan Public Library, Attn: Bookmark Contest 2025, 629 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.
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Official Submission Rules
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Artwork must be the entrant’s original creation.
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Participants must live in Manhattan, KS, or the surrounding area.
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Avoid copyrighted images.
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Entries must be a flat 2-dimensional graphic.
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Keep your artwork within the template provided (2-by-8 inches).
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One entry per person.
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All artwork becomes the property of the Manhattan Public Library.
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Winners must claim prizes no later than December 1, 2025, or the prize will be forfeited.