Elmer Adler book collecting prize draws campus bibliophiles

On the evening of Nov. 10, at 5 p.m., a special orientation meeting was held in Firestone Library outlining the details of the Elmer Adler Undergraduate Book Collection Prize — specifically, the contest rules and the details of the application process. Andrea Immel, the Curator of the Cotsen Children's Library, led this meeting and discussion, and Ann Montanaro, who is reputed to be "a leading authority on moveable and pop-up books," presented observations and insights upon her personal experiences as a book collector.

To provide an initial background, the Elmer Adler Book Collection Prize is open to all regularly enrolled Princeton undergraduates and consists of a first prize worth $1,500, a second prize worth $1,000 and a third prize worth $500. To enter, students must compose a short essay that describes the subject and purpose of the student's own personal collection. All contest entries are due no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 7.

The meeting was held in a Princeton-bowtie-perfect setting: the Graphic Arts Division of the Rare Books and Special Collections at Firestone. About 10 students assembled around a generous supply of Olives' chocolate-chip cookies and sparkling cider to introduce themselves and to describe the type of books they collect. While some students professed that they were simply attracted to the "aesthetic qualities" of the old leather-bound books with gold-leaf pages or that they were "book mercenaries," other students discussed the more specific collections they had begun, including collections of old grammar books, poetry books, a first edition of "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Hardy Boys" series. Following introductions, everyone gathered around a table where both Immel and Montanaro presented their respective points.

Immel began by presenting the specifics of the Elmer Adler Book Prize. This is a "grand Princeton tradition that began in 1922, and in 1939, the first contest was held on campus in which a modest prize was put up by the University store," she said. Immel explained that Elmer Adler, who became the curator of the graphic arts department of Princeton in 1940 and retired in 1952, "tried to revive interest and keep the program going." Immel remarked that it was therefore fitting that the meeting be held in the graphic arts department, as it had been "Adler's base of operation." Next Immel described the more technical aspects of the application and submission process. The essays must be submitted as a Word attachment and are not to exceed 10 double-spaced pages. In the essays, the students should discuss why they collect the books that they do, what is special about their collection and what other materials would complement the individuals' grand plans for their collection. The contest entries will be judged on how effectively applicants describe the subject that they collect and why they have formed their specific collection. Immel stated "it is an essay of self-definition; the judges will be looking for how you personalize and interpret your experience as a collector. Finally, Immel addressed a delicate issue, instructing the students that "you should not feel intimidated by a lack of money; a collection can be put together in a shoestring."

Next Montanaro presented a sample of her collection, which consists mostly of late 19th century pop-up books. Montanaro defined pop-up books as a group of books "where the action of the reader induces the action of the page" and proceeded to present a variety of examples. First she held up a book called "Little Pets," from the 1880's, which featured panorama pictures upon the views within. Next Montanaro presented examples of a tunnel book, "a specific genre that has been around since the 1700s" and a carousel book where the cover flaps tie together, leaving the book freestanding and easy to view. In order to demonstrate that there really is something for everyone, Montanaro pulled out a book with a realistic pop-up reproduction of Fenway Park, a superhero pop-up book, "The Ultimate Bug Book," complete with detailed anatomical pop-ups, a pop-up book called the "Facts of Life" illustrating the different stages of a fetus' development and, finally, an out of date pop-up entitled "Inside the Personal Computer," which provides an instructional look at the computer as it appeared in 1985.

Immel told students that it is not too late to start a book collection if one is truly interested in the contest. When asked where collectors find their materials, Montanaro responded that "I purchase a lot of my material new, from new and unused bookstores, or from eBay." Montanaro's last words of wisdom for young collectors was to "only collect what you love and never think of it as an investment." Students interested in applying for the Elmer Adler Undergraduate Book Collecting Prize should visit http://www.princeton.edu/~rbsc/new/adler.shtml.