To some, spending more than $100 per month on books is a college obligation. But for classical studies senior Matt Chaldekas, it's an obsession.
And Chaldekas used his book collection to pocket cash — $250 of it — at the 2006 MSU Student Book Collection Competition. His collection of Latin and Greek books awarded him second place.
Beginning at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Friends of the MSU Libraries will hold its 10th annual competition for book collecting in the Main Library. The competition, with a top prize of $500 and cash awards for all the finalists, is an opportunity for bookworms to show off their prized possessions.
The book collections are then judged. Peter Berg, head of Special Collections at the Main Library, has served as one of three judges since the contest's conception.
"What the library wanted to do was bring more attention to what students wanted to do in regards to book collecting," Berg said.
This year, Berg said the competition attracted 11 entries and resulted in five finalists. Student book collectors are impressive, Berg said, because they don't have a lot of money.
"It's really quite wonderful," Berg said. "I've always been very impressed by not only the collection, but the statements as well."
Each entry is required to have a short, 500-word essay describing how and why the collection was assembled. Chaldekas described his essay as "cute and cheeky." An annotated bibliography also is required.
The first-place winner of this year's competition will automatically be entered in the Collegiate Book-Collecting Championship, sponsored by Fine Books & Collections Magazine. The winner of the national competition will receive $2,500. Berg serves as a judge for both events.
Berg has been a Main Library employee since 1988, however, he does not have his own book collection.
"I look at the Special Collections as my surrogate book collection," Berg said.
Last year, between 30 and 40 people attended the competition's reception.
Chaldekas' winning collection began with Latin works, then branched into Greek handbooks and dictionaries. Today, Chaldekas owns more than 100 books.
"They're all really handsome," Chaldekas said.
Although handsome, the books are solely limited to hardcovers.
"Paperbacks don't count," he said. "They're shunned. They're like the little sister."
Chaldekas, who plans to attend graduate school at Tulane University in the fall, hopes to frame his certificate and put it in his future office. Although he's proud, Chaldekas still admits he's bitter for not winning first place.
The prize money, however, did come in handy.
"All of the winners say we're going to spend money on books," Chaldekas said. "But it paid for a quarter of a Visa bill. So I guess it did ultimately pay for books."
Besides his acclaimed collection, Chaldekas owns other books he describes as "classics."
"I have Charles Dickens — those never get read," he said with a groan. "If I'm going to read something, I'm actually going to enjoy it, not some 'It was the best of times, the worst of times.'"
