Out of the pages

See novels, short stories and the love of the written word leave paper behind for an afternoon at Mt. Laurel Library’s third annual Edible Book Contest.

All residents are invited to either participate or come out for the fun on Sunday, Sept. 30.

Entries should be deposited at the library between noon and 12:45 p.m. to be ready for the reception and voting between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. with winners to be announced by the judges at 3 p.m.

According to Stefanie Gostautas, adult services librarian, the edible contest is an outlet for people to share their love of reading in a creative format.

“We just thought it would be cool to get people to express their love of books through another medium,” she said.

The cake or other edible creation will allude to the book’s title or may even create a scene from a book, she said.

Photographs of prior entries can be found on Mt. Laurel Library’s Flickr page.

Edible creations from prior years include an illustration of the cover of The Spice Box: A Vegetarian Indian Cookbook by Manju Shivraj Singh, a creative take on Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth and a colorful cake ensemble for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

Prizes will be awarded for a variety of categories, according to a library release, including crowd favorite, most creative concept/original idea, most likely to be devoured/tastiest looking and children 12 and under.

“Even if people aren’t signed up for the contest, we still want people to come in and enjoy it,” Gostautas said.

While the entries will not be eaten during the event, she said, there would be light refreshments served for those in on the fun and voting process.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It gets the crowd into it.”

There have been about 20 entries each year, she said, and it’s a different type of library event than one may encounter throughout the year.

“Instead of having a presenter come in, we’re actually asking our patrons to showcase their own creativity,” she explained.

The idea is not novel to the library, with a variety of edible contests occurring each year around the nation, but it is an event out of the ordinary.

Gostautas said she is happy that the library has been able to continue the contest.

“I’ve enjoyed it so I’m glad we’re still doing it. I really hope we get another good turn out,” she said. “I love seeing the creative, surprising entries we get each year.”

For more information

To view photographs of entries from prior years on Flickr, view www.tinyurl.com/MLediblebook.

If interested in participating, call the library or visit the events calendar on the library’s website by Friday, Sept. 28.

The Mt. Laurel Library is located at 100 Walt Whitman Ave. in Mt. Laurel.

For more details about the Edible Book Contest, call (856) 234–7319 ext. 314 or visit www.mtlaurel.lib.nj.us.