Marlborough District Libraries have chosen two designs to be featured on their Children’s Library Card.

The judging panel were overwhelmed with the quality of the 192 entries for the competition, so after selecting the 11 finalists, they have chosen TWO winners whose designs will be featured on the children’s membership cards in the future.

Elodie Taylor (8) and Nina O’Connor (9) are the two winning designers, who each receive a book voucher prize and the kudos of having their artwork printed on a card each. The nine other finalists will receive book prizes.

Elodie, a year 4 student at Witherlea School, was encouraged to submit an entry by her teacher. She couldn’t wait to tell her teacher and classmates she had been chosen as a winner. Her proud parents loved the bright colourful design.

The ‘keep reading’ message on Nina’s design appealed to the judging panel with the positive messaging. “I chose an owl, as owls are known to be smart, and reading makes you smart” said Nina.

Nina is a year 5 student at Fairhall School, and it was the School Library Mentors (senior students) who distributed the entries around the classes and encouraged the students to enter.

The competition judging panel was Councillor Sally Arbuckle, Children’s Librarian Tracey McKean and Marlborough Art Gallery Director Cressida Bishop. They each selected their top contenders, which were then compared and shortlisted before the two winners were chosen.

The judges loved the variety of styles and ideas illustrated across the many entries. Both winning entries were unanimously chosen by the judging panel for their colourful vibrant design and unique creativity. The panel felt that both these cards would be loved by new young members of the library.

A People’s Choice competition via social media was won by Lucas (11) with a digitally generated design, and he too will receive a book voucher.

In the meantime, Elodie and Nina’s artwork has been sent to the printer, and the new cards should be in circulation in late July.