Submit your video and tell us why YOU should be the one to introduce one of our Out Loud! Authors this summer: Maureen Corrigan, Rainbow Rowell, or Piper Kerman.

The rules are simple. You must be a valid library card holder in the Metro Library Network (consisting of Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, and Marion Public Libraries). Your video must be no longer than three minutes. It should make a compelling case for why you should be the one to introduce one of our three 2015 Out Loud! Series Authors—Maureen Corrigan, Rainbow Rowell, and Piper Kerman. A committee made up of staff from the three Metro Libraries will select a winner for each author. The winners will be invited to introduce their selected author at the Out Loud! Author Series this summer.

How to submit your video
You may submit your video one of two ways:

Online Submissions

1. Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo.

2. Send an email to outloud@metrolibrarynetwork.org, including:

a. A link to your video
b. Your name and contact information (email and phone)

3. We will send you a confirmation email that we received your video within 24 hours.

Snail Mail or In-Person Submissions

1. Save your video to a CD, DVD, or flash drive

2. Put it in an envelope addressed to Hiawatha Public Library, Out Loud! c/o Pat Struttmann, 150 West Willman St., Hiawatha, Iowa, 52233. Inside the envelope, please include:

a. Your name
b. Your contact information (email and phone)

3. Submissions must be received ten days before your author’s program.

Contest Timeline
Deadlines for submitting videos:

• Maureen Corrigan – Friday, June 5 by 5 p.m.
• Rainbow Rowell – Friday, June 12 by 5 p.m.
• Piper Kerman – Friday, June 19 by 5 p.m.

The Metro Library Network will select finalists by Monday, June 8, 15, and 22. Winners will be contacted by Wednesday, June 10, 17, and 24.

Judging

Entries will be reviewed for eligibility and compliance with the contest rules. A panel of judges drawn from within the Metro Library Network will judge the entries on the following criteria:

• Creativity: 30%
• Persuasiveness: 30%
• Speaking Ability: 30%
• Engagement: 10%

Contest Rules

• You must be a valid library card holder in the Metro Library Network (consisting of Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, and Marion Public Libraries).
• Videos will be judged according to the following criteria: creativity, persuasiveness, speaking ability, and engagement.
• Your entry must obey all laws, including all applicable copyright and privacy laws. This also applies to any music samples used in your video.
• You agree to let the Metro Library Network place your entry on respective YouTube channels and Facebook pages, and use your video in its promotional and educational efforts.
• Your video should be no longer than three minutes. Videos longer than three minutes will be disqualified.
• Entries must be submitted by the indicated deadline to be eligible. No extensions. Anything submitted after these deadlines will not be considered.
• Entries may not contain commercial, sexually explicit, disparaging, or libelous content; promote any product or service; or contain any trademarks, copyrighted works (including music that is not within the public domain), or other intellectual property not owned by the submitter(s).
• The Metro Library Network reserves the right to reject or return for editing any video that doesn’t comply with these guidelines.

Questions? For more information, contact: Pat Struttman, Hiawatha Public Library at struttmannp@hiawatha-iowa.com or 319-393-1414.

Download the You Out Loud! flyer (pdf).