@ your library Design a Tote Bag Contest FAQs

Is there a fee to enter the competition?
No purchase necessary in order to participate in the contest.

Who is eligible to participate?
The contest is open to anyone 14 years of age or older at time of entry. Residents between the ages of 14 and 17 years old are eligible to participate in the Contest but will be required to submit a signed parental consent form in order to collect any prizes won.

How do I enter?
To submit your design, follow the directions in the Contest Guidelines. All submissions must be emailed to atyourlibrary@yahoo.com by the submission deadline. An internal team at the American Library Association will upload your submissions to the “@ your library Design a Tote Bag Contest” Flickr group. See #7 and #8 of the Official Rules for further details.

Is there a size limit?
Yes, your design submission must be a low resolution JPEG, PNG, or PDF of your design no larger than 8MB. Be sure to keep your high resolution version of the design somewhere in case your design is picked! For more information on submission guidelines.

Is there any advantage to aligning my subject matter thematically with the American Library Association?
The primary requirement is to incorporate the URL “atyourlibrary.org” or “@ your library” into your design. There are no creative restrictions on content beyond this. Please read the Creative Guidelines or you can refer to #7 and #8 of the Official Rules for further details.

Where are the design guidelines for art? I can’t find them on the website!
There are guidelines, pointers and further information on the Design Guidelines.

Will my art be good enough?
This competition is about releasing your creativity and expressing your artistic point-of-view. The contest is open to everyone and is not based solely on artistic talent alone. Please do not hesitate to submit your work, regardless of your experience with art and/or design. We look forward to seeing a variety of work.

Am I allowed to submit more than one entry in the competition?
All applicants may submit up to two unique designs to the competition. If more than two designs are submitted, the last designs received will be discarded.

Are we allowed to collaborate with other artists on our designs?
Yes, however, one person must represent the group in the contest by submitting the design via his or her email account. Submissions will be made using the same guidelines, and in the event that a collaborative group should win the Grand Prize or People’s Choice Award only one set of prizes will be rewarded regardless of group size. You must decide how to split the rewards. You can submit no more than two unique designs, with or without a group, but only one design will be eligible for the second round.

When is the submission deadline?
The deadline for submitting designs is 11:59 PM CST October 16, 2009.

How strict are you going to be with the deadline?
Strict. Judging starts immediately after submission closes, so we can’t make any exceptions for designs that arrive late.

What is Flickr?
Flickr is a photo sharing website. Tagging allows you to group similar photos for viewing, while groups are created to form communities of shared interest and goals. Creating an account is free. For more information please visit www.Flickr.com and make sure to check out the Flickr FAQ if you have more questions.

How long will it take for my design to appear on the Flickr site?
After a design is submitted, it may be pending approval for 2-7 days before it is uploaded to the Flicker group. Designs uploaded into the group will qualify as a submission into the competition and serve as proof of receipt by the internal competition team.

Can I have my design removed from the site if I change my mind about entering the competition?
Yes, if you decide you would like your design removed from the competition you can email us at atyourlibrary@yahoo.com telling us so. We will remove your design from the competition pool as well as the “@ your library Design a Tote Bag Contest” group on Flickr. Please allow 2-7 days for your design to be removed.

How are the winning submissions chosen?
Submissions are judged on the following criteria: Concept, Originality, and Creativity; Relevance to contest theme; Completeness of design – must be ready to print; Visibility – eye-catching and visible from a reasonable distance; and Legality and Feasibility. Please refer to #10 in the Official Rules for further details.

How long does it take for a submission to be up for voting for the People’s Choice award?
Designs will be uploaded to the Flickr voting site as they are received. Voting will begin September 14 and go until October 21. Entrants will be notified with further details so they can vote on designs and pass the information along to friends and family to vote as well.

How do I vote on my favorite design for the People’s Choice award?
To vote for your favorite design for the People’s Choice award you must have or sign up for a Flickr account (it’s free). Then, simply log on to Flickr and click “Add to Favorite” next to the design(s) you want to vote for. Voting ends 11:59 PM CST on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at which point the designs will be removed and votes will be tallied.

When will I find out if my piece is a finalist?
Judges will be reviewing submissions and making their selections shortly after the submission deadline. We will be notifying all the artists via the email address used for submission. Therefore it’s important to notify us if your email address changes or becomes inactive. You have 5 days from the date of notification to respond with necessary documents, including the high resolution design file in order to qualify for round 2. Please refer to #10 in the Official Rules for further details.

What do I receive for a winning design?
The Grand Prize Winner will receive $500, have their design featured on a limited edition Tote Bag, and receive a free Tote Bag displaying their design. The People’s Choice Award Winner will receive $100. Please refer to #9 in the Official Rules for further details.

How do I redeem my prize?
The Grand Prize Winner and People’s Choice Award Winner will receive their prizes in the mail shortly after Nov. 17, 2009.

Will I get credit for designing the poster?
Of course! You will receive full design credits and your name will be included on the limited edition Tote Bag for @ your library.