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Card Design Contest Winners: Libraries and Kindness Are Free

The BPL held a Library Card design contest this Spring to promote kindness and libraries with new library cards for your wallet.  This September, the Berkeley Public Library is supporting Library Card Sign-up Month by featuring five new card designs.  This is a great time to get a new library card!

Contest Winner: Marissa Wu (they)

“I was inspired by the theme of "kindness" to imagine what Berkeley might look like if life was centered around the public library, reflecting the library's values of community care, diversity, and joy. I believe that a society that prioritizes kindness would be a place where multigenerational community can flourish, affordable housing and clean transportation are abundant, and all neighbors take care of each other. Additionally, as public libraries around the country are facing disinvestment, I wanted to depict a world in which the opposite was true, and our public institutions were fully supported and thriving.”

Finalist: Andra Weber 

"I was inspired by all the little kids I see visiting the North Berkeley Library where they flip joyfully through books, play in the atrium, and soak in all the library goodness. I noticed the library didn't have a card design that might appeal to kids. So I created the design to remind children of all ages, that the library is for everyone, kindness can be as simple as helping each other return library books and everyone deserves space to enjoy a good story...even cats and dogs!"

Finalist: Abigail Mullen 

“I was going through a unit in school where we were learning about the cruelness committed to our First People throughout the United States. I had been thinking about what to submit regarding kindness when I came across an article in my school binder about First People. I wanted to submit an art piece that represented kindness no matter heritage or skin color, global kindness. I have been so inspired by all activists that work so hard to make the world a better place and hope I represented that in my submission. Love and kindness on a global level.”

Finalist: Alejandra Martínez

“My inspiration for the mixed media artwork is to show that humanity is kindness. We all come in difference shapes and colors. Displaying unity and kindness in color.”

Finalist: Ronald Chung

“I decided to communicate the word and meaning of "kindness" by utilizing both symbols and letters.  I settled on my interpretation of the Berkeley Public Library building covered with kindness symbols graffiti and an Aesop quote (emanating from inside the Library).

Ultimately, I imagined the user action of going to the library, selecting a book and then pulling out the library card to check out.  During the check out process, I want the user to be strongly reminded to be kind the rest of the day.”

Contact: Tess Mayer 
Director of Library Services
Berkeley Public Library
510.981.6100
tmayer@cityofberkeley.info

Apply to be Berkeley’s 2025 Youth Poet Laureate
Apply Online by October 9

Berkeley, California (September 19, 2024) – After a successful inaugural 2024 Youth Poet Laureate program, it is time to search for Berkeley’s next Youth Poet Laureate and Vice Youth Poet Laureate.

All interested applicants are invited to an application workshops at the Central Library Teen Room (2090 Kittredge St), where staff will help craft resumes and edit poems on Tuesday, September 24th from 4:00-5:00pm. Attendance at this workshop is not mandatory to apply.

To apply, visit www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/berkeley-youth-poet-laureate-program. Teens aged 13-18 as of January 1, 2025 who live in Berkeley or go to school in Berkeley are eligible. Applicants must live locally for the calendar year of 2024 and not be enrolled in college full-time.

A panel of community leaders with expertise in creative writing and poetry will judge the applications. The laureate and vice laureate will be announced at a celebration in January 2025. 

In addition, all applicants will be invited to participate in writing workshops throughout 2024 and 2025 in partnership with Berkeley High School, the City of Berkeley, the National Youth Poet Laureate Program, Urban Word and other local organizations. 

Librarian Jacob Kahn shared his excitement about the program, commenting, "in just the inaugural year, we have gotten to see the Poet Laureate and Vice Laureate share their tremendous creative talents at countless public events, engage their peers through artistic showcases, guide younger Berkeley students through educational workshops, and become an honored and vital part of the cultural fabric of our city.”

The 2024 Youth Poet Laureate, Berkeley High School senior Julia Segrѐ, and Vice Youth Poet Laureate, St. Mary’s College High School senior Serena Griffin, participated in multiple performances and workshops throughout the last year. Their voices were highlighted during the Bay Area Book Festival and they performed at the Central Library alongside City of Berkeley Poet Laureate Aya de León. 

Kahn is optimistic about this year’s program, saying, “we can't wait to see how this program continues to grow and develop, and to celebrate the new youth voices that will come to represent Berkeley in the years to come!"

For questions, email youthpoet@berkeleyca.gov. 

For questions about additional Library events, services, hours and locations, please call (510) 981-6100 or visit the Library’s website www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

More About the National Youth Poet Laureate Program 

Founded in 2008, the National Youth Poet Laureate Program identifies and celebrates teen poets who exhibit a commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, youth leadership and social justice. YPL collaborates with local youth literary arts organizations across the country, as well as leading national literary organizations including the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities, the Academy of American Poets, Poetry Society of America, PEN Center USA, Cave Canem, and the Library of Congress. 

More About Urban Word

Urban Word is an award-winning youth literary arts and youth development organization that collaborates with local youth literary arts organizations across the country to provide uncensored platforms for youth voice. It is championed by the leading national literary organizations, including the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities, the Academy of American Poets, Poetry Society of America, PEN Center USA, Cave Canem, and the Library of Congress.

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