Calling all artists! The Iowa City Public Library is seeking entries for the 2018 Art Purchase Prize contest!

The Art Purchase Prize is open to artists over the age 18 who live/work/exhibit in the Iowa City or the Johnson County area. Library employees and their immediate family are ineligible for entry.

The Library will begin accepting artwork on September 1.

Any two-dimensional or low-relief media are acceptable, including: drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, collage, paper/textile and mixed media. All work must be original, and created within the last three years. Works should be priced under $300.

To enter, artists should submit a digital image representation of their original work(s), and those should be in .jpeg format, with a minimum resolution of 72 dpi and a minimum size of 1024 x 768 pixels. Artists may enter two original artworks.

Finished artwork must be at least 12 x 12 and no larger than 34 x 34. Works chosen for final judging should be unframed, and matted and/or mounted as needed to create a finished piece. Archival or museum-quality materials must be used for printing, mounting and matting. Works must be suitable for framing and covering with Plexiglas.

The Library takes responsibility for framing works chosen for purchase.

Entries can be emailed to Candice-Smith@icpl.org, or mailed on disc to Candice Smith at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Entries must include the artist's name, address, phone number and email, and the following for each artwork: title, medium, size/matted size (if appropriate), and price.

Entries will be accepted from September 1 until October 9. The first round of judging will begin on Tuesday, October 16. Finalists will be notified, and asked to bring their work in on Tuesday, October 23. Final judging will be on Wednesday, October 24.   

Winning pieces will go on display for a period of time, before being added to the Library’s Art To Go collection of circulating artwork.

For more information, visit www.icpl.org/about/art-prize or contact Candice Smith at Candice-Smith@icpl.org

Want to present yourself in the best light to a potential employer? The Iowa City Public Library, the City of Iowa City, and Iowa Works will host two events aimed at job seekers in September.

The first event will focus on helping job seekers create the best resume possible from their work history. It will be held on Wednesday, September 5, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Digital Media Lab on the second floor of the Library. Participants will be guided through the resume creation and writing process with the help of a knowledgeable volunteer and tips and tricks given by an Iowa City Public Library librarian. At the same time, volunteers from the University of Iowa’s College of Education Counseling Psychology Doctoral program will help participants prepare resumes.

The second event is a job fair to be held on Tuesday, September 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. Employers that plan to attend the fair include: City of Iowa City - Human Resources, the Iowa City Fire Department, the Iowa City Police Department, Remedy Intelligent Staffing, The ARC of Southeast Iowa, Pearson, People Ready, Team Staffing Solutions, Panera, Centro, Bio Life Plasma Service, Hy-Vee, University of Iowa, Express Employment Professionals, Robert Half, Mercy Iowa City, Gerdau, Mass Markets, Go Daddy, and Loparex.

Both events are free. Persons parking in the Recreation Center Lot for the job fair will get complimentary parking.

Go here to register online for classes at the Library. You can also register by calling the Library at 319-356-5200.

Register for the job fair here or contact Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022.

The Iowa City Public Library Bookmobile won’t be in service the week of August 20 because of scheduled vehicle maintenance, collection updates, and staff training.

During the Bookmobile’s seasonal break in service, items can be returned at the downtown Library or to the Library’s remote drop boxes. Holds that arrive at the Library during this time can be found by inquiring at the Help Desk at the downtown Library or on the Bookmobile when our Fall Schedule begins.

The Bookmobile’s Fall Schedule begins Monday, August 27, and will continue through Friday, December 21. Go here for more information.

Amanda calls The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang "... the best romance novel I've read all year! It's smart, feminist, and beautifully diverse."

White Houses by Amy Bloom is a historical fictional account of the relationship between Lorena Hickok and Eleanor Roosevelt. Angie calls it a "... beautifully written story."

Meredith recently finished American Panda by Gloria Chao and hasn't stopped talking about it. "It's a great look at a teen with her feet in two cultures, struggling to find her balance."

Not in the mood for a love story? Heidi recently read Ruth Ware's The Lying Game. "Ruth Ware is a new author to me, but I am looking forward to checking out the rest of her books now!"