Library Card Design Contest 2025

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) wants to celebrate National Library Week, April 6 – 12, with the launch of up to four new library cards – designed by YOU. Help us show the Pikes Peak region that we all belong at the Library by entering your original artwork inspired by the Library and the community to our Library Card Design Contest. All ages are welcome to enter. We are accepting entries of all types, including digital art, children’s art, original photography, or digitized copies of traditional media artwork (paintings, pastels, mixed media, pen drawings, etc.). Entries will be accepted online at ppld.org/library-card-contest. 

Submissions will open in January 2025. 

Rules

Themes: Your submission should be inspired by the Library, the Pikes Peak region, or the community. 

Eligibility: Open to all ages; participants must live within PPLD’s service area (all of El Paso County except for Security-Widefield). Having a library card is not a requirement, but if a participant possesses one, it must be in good standing with the Library District to be eligible for participation. Library staff and their immediate family may not participate. 

Submission File Requirements: 

• Format: All submissions should be in a digital format, whether it is digital art or a quality digital photo or scan of traditional media art (paint, pastels, mixed media, sketches, etc.).
• Size: Designs should be 2.25"W x 3.5"H. No important aspects of the design should be within .125" of all sides. Anything outside of these parameters may be cut off by the printing process.
• File Type: Submissions must be in a high-resolution digital format. The following file types will be accepted: EPS, JPEG, TIFF, or PDF.
• Description: Please include a brief description (1 – 3 sentences) describing the concept behind your submission.

Originality: All designs must be original artwork or photography created by the participant. No AI-generated content or copyrighted materials should be used.

Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Fri., Jan. 31. Submissions open in January 2025.

Number of Submissions: No more than two submissions per person. Please submit each entry separately if you submit two entries.

Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, overall aesthetic appeal, and relevance to PPLD and surrounding community.

Prizes: Winning entries will be featured long-term on a PPLD library card beginning in April 2025. Thanks to our prize sponsor, winners will also receive a gift card from HR Meininger Company.

Rights: By entering the contest, participants grant Pikes Peak Library District the right to use their winning design(s) as a library card and for promotional purposes. The winner agrees to freely assign unlimited copyright usage of their submitted design for as long as Pikes Peak Library District wishes to use the design(s). The selected artist further agrees to abstain from using the design for their own business or marketing purposes for as long as the District continues to use it. The design(s) may be modified (size, color, enhancements, etc.) as needed by the Library and will only be used in the context of the library card that they are featured on, but that library card may appear in Library promotions now and in perpetuity.

Contest Timeline

• Thu., Jan. 2 – Submissions period opens
• Fri., Jan. 31 – Submission period closes
• Fri., Feb. 14 – Winners notified
• Mon., Apr. 7 – Library cards begin circulating

Additional Considerations

• Participants should consider the size and functionality of cards when submitting their design. Please create a design that will fit within the provided dimensions (2.25"W x 3.5"H) or use the provided template.  
• Designs can be either landscape or portrait orientation.
• Do not use the PPLD logo in your design.  
• The Library’s logo will be placed in one corner, depending on where it looks best. Consider creating a design where the logo being placed in one corner will not disrupt the look of your artwork.

How to submit – Submissions open in January 2025. Check back to this page in January to submit your artwork.

Thanks to HR Meininger Company for sponsoring great prizes for our library card design winners!