Do you like collecting? Have you ever collected books, comic books, film posters, match tickets or even Pokémon cards?
If so, did you know that each year the University offers the chance for a student to win £500 to enhance their collection thanks to a donor keen to share his love of books and to inspire future generations of collectors.
The Thomas Reid Collecting prize is part of the Scottish Universities Book Collecting Prize Scheme, intended to encourage collecting of the printed word among Scotland’s ancient universities.
The winner will be awarded £500 to spend on adding to their personal collection and they will also work with Museums and Special Collections staff to identify items worth up to £250 to enhance the University Collections.
Most recently a series of comic books and graphic novels about LGBTQ+ stories were added to the collection, selected with the prize winner, MacKenna Sturdevant, whose collection is focussed on DC Comics and in particular Wonder Woman and the complex character of Talia al Ghul.
MacKenna said winning last year’s prize provided “the opportunity to expand this collection, not only with more of Talia's original story lines, but also with comics featuring queer women such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall from Wonder Woman story lines and other women of colour, such as Queen Nubia, DC comics first black female superhero”.
The prize is named after Thomas Reid (d.1624), who lived and worked at the court of James VI and I and who gave his entire book collection of more than 1300 volumes to the University of Aberdeen, including one of the most famous items in the collection, the Bestiary. He also donated a fabulously illuminated Hebrew Bible and many volumes once in the Royal Library.
It is generously funded by Dr Bill Zachs, Director of the Blackie House Library and Museum, and is administered by the University of Aberdeen Museums & Special Collections & Development Trust.
The prize – open to collections of the printed word in any form - is open now and applications close Friday 16 February 2024. The application form can be found here
Your collection can be any size and does not need to be complete when you submit an application.
If you would like any more information or have any questions about the prize, please contact uoacollections@abdn.ac.uk