Wild About Reading Library Card Design Contest Winners

Santa Barbara Public Library, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Zoo, is excited to announce three new library card designs inspired by animals and reading. The new cards feature the winners of the Wild About Reading Library Card Design Contest and will be available at all Santa Barbara Public Library locations and Library on the Go on Monday, September 28. While supplies last.

We were overjoyed by the creativity displayed in more than 50 submissions, featuring animals from across the globe. Submissions were voted on by Zoo and Library Staff in three age categories: youth, teen, and adult. We were impressed by the imagination of every submission, but three winning designs rose to the top.

Adult (18+) Winner: Kelly Hudson, "Wild Things"
"I never would have thought to draw this on my own, and I was absolutely enchanted by the process of making it. That sense of discovery and delight feels, to me, very much at the heart of both the library and the zoo."

Teen (13 - 17) Winner: Eleanore Preloger, "Humboldt Happiness"
"When I heard about this art contest, it was the perfect match! It combined drawing, animals, and reading, my favorite things. The Santa Barbara Zoo and Santa Barbara Public Library are both beautiful spaces where I go to learn more about my passions."

Youth (under 13) Winner: Khayukti Gandrothula "Blending in with the Story"
"Just like a chameleon blends into its environment, I like to blend into the stories I read. And because I am a curious reader, I wish I could use my eyes - like a chameleon and read 2 pages at the same time!"

Celebrate the new cards with Library on the Go at a very special State Street Farmers Market stop in late October. Drop by to choose a new card design, take photos with larger-than-life versions of the winning designs, and connect with Library and Zoo staff.

Library on the Go at State Street Farmers Market
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
State Street, near the corner of Canon Perdido and State