Announcing Our Annual Writing Contest

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Dana Sheridan

350 for 50 typewriter pop

Young writers…it’s go time! Announcing our annual 350 for 50 writing contest, where writers ages 9-16 are challenged to write a 350-word story that includes the sentence “Immediately, it was upside down.” (just 345 words left to go)! Winning stories will be illustrated and published on our blog for all to see. Additionally, winning authors will enjoy an online $50 literary shopping spree on Amazon!

Contest submissions are due by 3:00 pm ET on Monday, March 23, 2026.

This contest is a celebration of writing and personal voice. Your wonderful imagination and efforts should be treasured and applauded. Therefore, we will not accept entries in which AI is used in any way, shape, or form. By entering 350 for 50, you acknowledge the story you have submitted is yours and yours alone. Thank you!

350 for 50 Contest Submission Requirements

Stories can be no longer than 350 words, and MUST include the sentence, “Immediately, it was upside down.”
The sentence MUST stand alone in the story (not be a part of another sentence).
Submissions are accepted in e-mail text fields ONLY. No pdf attachments or Google file shares.
One submission per author, please. E-mail to: cotsenevents@princeton.edu
The following MUST be included with your submission: Your name and age (as of March 23, 2026).
No submissions in verse or comic book format.

One winner will be selected from each of our four age categories (ages 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16). Your name, age, and story title are not included in the 350-word count. The Amazon literary shopping spree is limited to books and writing materials.

Winners will be notified via e-mail on Friday, March 27 and posted on this page. Good luck!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Dana Sheridan

Happy Year of the Horse! Today, I absolutely had to share the outstanding artistry of Princeton University staff member Asumi Shibata, Senior Bibliographic Specialist in the East Asian Library. She casually posted these images in a group work channel and my jaw just dropped.

Her gorgeous collage was created for display on the bulletin board in the East Asian Library kitchen, and is made almost entirely of recycled book covers!

Look at the details on the paper flowers!

In addition to horses, Asumi crafted fish for the collage, explaining that “in the Chinese blessing 年年有余 (roughly means may your year be prosperous) prosperity sounds like fish.” Fish gets its auspicious meaning from one of its homophones（鱼fish and 余extra have the same pronunciation “yu”). Having fish thus symbolizes having “extra,” i.e. abundance.

Thank you for sharing your extraordinary talents with us Asumi! This is so beautiful!

Forms & Functions: The Splendors of Global Bookmaking

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Dana Sheridan

Book enthusiasts near and far are cordially invited to a fantastic new exhibit!

“Forms and Function: The Splendors of Global Book Making,” is currently in the Ellen and Leonard Milberg Gallery in Firestone Library on Princeton University campus. Curated by Martin Heijdra, Director of PUL’s East Asian Library, the exhibit showcases the diversity and beauty of global book making, focusing on three major traditions of the book form: codex, East Asian, and pothī.

Awash in rich jewel tones and featuring a range of striking visuals, the exhibition features treasures from some of Princeton’s lesser-known collections, as well as items from its renowned collections of Western, Islamic, East Asian, and Mesoamerican manuscripts and printed books. There are also works by modern artists completed in the style of these global traditions. For gallery hours and directions to campus, please click here. The exhibit runs through December 7, 2025.

Can’t make the trip? No worries! There is a video tour here, a digital version of the exhibit here, and a downloadable guide here.

In celebration of the exhibit’s amazing holdings, we selected some of our more unusual book-crafting projects for further fun. Simply click the titles over the images to visit the project pages!

BOOK BOUQUET