Naperville fifth-grader wins library card design contest
Olivia Carlson, a fifth-grade student at Brookdale Elementary School, is the winner of the Naperville Public Library Children’s Card Contest. Olivia’s colorful design features animals spelling out the word “Read” and it will be used for the first juvenile library card. The new card will debut in November during Young Readers Week.
Olivia is a very organized person and knew it was going to be a busy summer, so she started early on the design.
“I had swimming so I knew I needed to get it done,” she explains.
The decision to enter the contest was made when “the library lady came to school. I thought about drawing an animal holding a book.”
That idea didn’t work out, so she next tried using animals to spell “Read.” Several revisions later, she turned in her entry and then concentrated on swimming.
Olivia used colored pencils for her drawing and says she’s been drawing since she was little. She credits her dad with some of her talent.
“He was an artist when he was younger; he painted,” she says. But Olivia emphasizes, “No one helped me, I did the drawing myself.”
Loving animals has always been part of Olivia’s life. This summer she raised three Monarch butterflies from caterpillars. Her other unusual pet is a catfish. She’s also seen a lot of different animals during her family’s travels. While snorkeling in the Grand Caymans, Olivia even saw a nurse shark.
Now starting the fifth grade, Olivia continues to do sports. This fall she’s on a soccer team but, of course, she’s still finds time for reading.
“I like to read a lot; I read all different genres,” she says and firmly refuses to name a favorite.
Olivia’s design was selected from the five designs that received the most votes by the public. During the monthlong contest in July, several hundred designs by students in grades one through five were entered.
Selecting the winning design were Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel; John Spears, new executive director of the Naperville Public Library; Sandy Benson, secretary of the Naperville Public Library board and director of community and government relations for Edward Hospital; Ray Kinney, partner of Maclyn Group and president of Minuteman Press Naperville; and Steve Lee, Naperville Public Library graphics technician. The judges’ decision was difficult as so many entries were wonderfully creative.
“We were thrilled with the quality of entries that we received,” says Carla Nolidis, Nichols Library circulation supervisor and card contest coordinator. “This has been a labor of love for staff and the positive response from the community was truly amazing.”