Theme: Our Stories, Our Communities
In celebration of Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries’ 75th anniversary, we invite you to design a limited-edition library card! The theme “Our Stories, Our Communities” encourages artists to reflect on how libraries connect, inspire, and celebrate our communities' diverse experiences.
Whether you’re a professional artist, a student, or a creative enthusiast, this is your chance to showcase your talent and leave a lasting mark on our libraries!
Competition Categories
- Youth Design (Ages 8 and under)
- Tween Design (Ages 9-12)
- Teen Design (Ages 13–19)
- Adult Design (20+)
Eligibility
The Library Card Design Competition is open to individuals of all ages, emphasizing our commitment to inclusivity and diversity in the arts community.
- Open to residents of the FVRLibraries service area, (including Clark except Camas, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties, Yale Valley library district, and Woodland, WA).
- Cowlitz County residents who live outside of the District may enter; however, if their artwork is selected and they wish to receive a library card featuring their design, they must currently have a nonresident account and adhere to our nonresident account policies or pay the standard nonresident account fee to establish an account. These fees and policies can be found on our website.
- Entrants do not need a current FVRLibraries card to participate.
- FVRL employees are welcome to participate in the competition as patrons if submissions are created on their own time and without using FVRL equipment or resources. Staff entries will be judged alongside all others, with no preferential treatment.
What’s Permitted
- Original Artwork Only: All designs must be created by the person submitting them and cannot include or be based on pre-existing characters, logos, or intellectual property (i.e., no fan art or derivative works).
- Accepted Media: Submissions can be in any artistic medium (e.g., drawing, painting, photography, digital design, etc.) but must be submitted digitally for final review.
- Design Specifications:
- The final artwork must be formatted as a .jpg or .png at 300 dpi. You may submit an editable PDF if you’re working in Adobe Illustrator.
- The design should be twice as big as a standard library card size.
- The total is 7.25” wide by 4.75“ high in inches, including the .25” bleed on each side that will be cropped off after printing.
- It is 2175px wide by 1425px high in pixels, including the 75px bleed on each side that will be cropped off.
What’s Not Permitted
- Artwork containing offensive, political, or inappropriate content.
- Designs with copyrighted materials (e.g., logos, licensed characters).
- Multiple submissions per person (one design per artist).
Timeline
- Deadline for Submissions: June 30, 2025
- Selection Process: Early to mid-July 2025
- Final Design Announcement: Late July 2025
- Library Card Designs Issued: September 2025
Submission Guidelines
- Only one design can be submitted
- Submit your design in a high-resolution digital format: .jpg or .png at 300 dpi. Files should be less than 15 MB in size.
- If you are selected as a finalist, FVRLibraries may require you to submit an additional file.
- Ensure your artwork includes a .25 inch/ 75px bleed area for proper printing.
- Ensure any text or key elements are at least .5/150px inch from the edge.
- Complete the online submission form and include a brief artist statement (up to 100 words) describing your inspiration and how your design reflects the theme “Our Stories, Our Community.”
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges, including library staff, community members, and local artists, will review submissions based on:
- Creativity and Originality
- Relevance to the Theme
- Visual Impact and Design Appeal
How to Enter
Submit your design and artist statement through our online form by June 30, 2025. [Link to form will be provided.]
Prizes
- Winning designs will be featured on official library cards distributed across FVRLibraries branches.
- Winners will receive:
- A new library card featuring their design*
- A certificate of recognition.
- A feature on FVRLibraries’ website, social media, and in-library displays.
*The prize for the winning design includes a new library card featuring their design (if desired); however, standard residency and eligibility requirements apply. If the winner does not qualify for a free library card under district or reciprocal agreements, they must meet nonresident account requirements or pay applicable fees.
Ownership & Permissions
By submitting artwork, participants agree to the following:
- All submitted artwork becomes the property of Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries for use in library card production and promotional materials.
- FVRLibraries reserves the right to modify, edit, or adjust all designs to meet printing and branding needs.
- The library may use submitted artwork for marketing, promotions, and public displays, including but not limited to the website, social media, printed materials, and in-library exhibits.
- Participants waive any future claims to rights, usage, or royalties related to their submitted artwork by entering.
- Artists whose work is selected for promotional materials and card production will be credited whenever possible. For example, the artist’s name will be printed on the back of the card unless they request otherwise.