Library News
Student Art Contest Winners During 75th Anniversary Celebration
Posted on April 24th, 2026
As part of Booth Library’s 75th anniversary celebration, the library hosted an exhibit opening and artists’ talk for the Booth Library Student Art Contest on April 20 in the Marvin Foyer.
The contest invited EIU students to submit original works of art reflecting the people, places, voices, and lived experiences of Central Illinois. The initiative expands Booth Library’s permanent public art collection while spotlighting regional identity and student creativity.
The jury selected Olivia Roller’s My Quintessential Day as the first-place winner. Roller will receive a $1,000 prize, and her work will become a permanent part of Booth Library’s collection.
Honorable mentions were awarded to:
- Paige Twidell, Taste of Home (Triptych)
- Makenna O’Rourke, A Passing Storm
- Ross Osterday, Night Drive
- Jill Boeser, Second Home
Finalist works are on display in Booth Library’s Marvin Foyer.
The Student Art Contest was made possible through the generosity of library donors, including gifts from the friends of Carl Lorber, Jr., professor emeritus and former longtime head of Reference Services at Booth Library, and support from the Coles County Zythological Society.
Through this 75th anniversary initiative, Booth Library celebrates student creativity and the continuing role of the library as one of EIU’s central spaces for learning, discovery, and creative expression.
