For twelve years, the University of Central Florida Libraries have been supporting the artistic works of undergraduate and graduate students in book arts. We continue to celebrate this unique art practice with the annual Student Book Arts Competition. Students submit their original hand bound artist books for the opportunity to receive a purchase award, have their book art cataloged under the Library of Congress classification system, and be included in Special Collections & University Archives’ permanent Book Arts & Typography Collection.

A panel of judges select an artist book based on creativity, craftsmanship, content, and design. This year’s judges were David Benjamin, Head of UCF Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives, and Benjamin Rinehart, Associate Professor of Printmaking and Artist Books at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

This year’s competition had some of the most unique books submitted, which challenged the selection process. Two artist books were awarded the top accolades by the judges, Reflections of Facts by Hannah Carter and F___My Life by Aaron Stefan. Both books pushed the boundaries of what artist books can achieve. Two distinct works, Reflections of Facts about a personal loss and how we attempt to understand fact; and F___My Life, how economic and social shifts today have changed the perceived American life from a classic board game. Congratulations to both students!