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Richmond Public Library announces online store + community vote for merch designs

RPL is celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month in style.

Two design options for the Richmond Public Library merchandise design contest; Left design: features a black background, colorful stars, spirals, and a moon and sun; A character with green-colored skin and a red outfit is on an open book with boosting flames at the back; the character reaches for a white rectangle. Right design: An open book designed with yellow and green colors; a green hand holds a Richmond Public Library card atop the book; The background depicts water, a castle, a spaceship, flowers, pets, and other various things.

Exclusive RPL merch designs were created by Richmond-based artist Ash Rudolph.

Designs courtesy of Ash Rudolph + Richmond Public Library

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and Richmond Public Library (RPL) is coming in hot with incentives — the announcement of an online merch store, a poll for the first merchandise design, and a chance to win an exclusive T-shirt for yourself.

Head to your local library branch to sign up for a card from Tuesday, Sept. 2, through Tuesday, Sept. 30. After joining the library leagues, your name will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win a new RPL T-shirt.

The contest will wrap at the end of the month, and 10 winners will be announced at the beginning of October. First, the library needs help picking the design.

Vote for your favorite.

Following Library Card Sign-Up Month, RPL will launch its first official online merch store in mid-October, a popular request among local library lovers. We want to rep our free resource and research centers.

The online store will use the design for a variety of products, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, and drinkware.

Already have a library card or wondering what the card includes, besides books? Refresh yourself on the multiverse of free resources.

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