Libros lege 2011 Press Release of Winners for 4th annual contest

1. Libros Lege
Spring 2011
4th Annual Read-Aloud Contest
The Press Release
The Winners
Caroline Kielczewski, 1st Place
Trans-Atlantyk by Witold Gombrowicz
Ethan Ensler
The Doll by Boleslaw Prus
Joanne Dynak
Fire in the Steppe by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Karol Kmiecik
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Sylvia Prokopowicz
The Doll by Boleslaw Prus
The Contest in Short
Libros Lege is an annual read-aloud contest. Contestants pick a book from the list provided,
read all of it in English, and then choose an excerpt to read out loud in English for a panel of
judges and audience. The 5 winners go on a 9-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Warsaw, Poland
during the summer of 2011. A parallel contest is held in Warsaw and the 5 winners from Poland
travel to Chicago over the summer.
Online registration for this year’s contest opened on Sunday, February 17th and closed on
Saturday, April 2nd. The readings took place at Eisenhower Public Library in Harwood Heights
under the auspices of the Director Ron Stoch and the contest author, Joanna Tucholska. Along
with a core of 4 Libros Lege Volunteers Committee judges, there were 3 VIP judges: Nancy
Barry Moore, King Kosmala and Ann Szpinor. On Saturday, April 9th, contestants read from
10am to 5pm. On Sunday, April 10th, they read from 1pm to 5pm. About 50 contestants read this
year. The judges deliberated until 6pm that Sunday and the winners were contacted by phone
later that evening by Patricia Radkowski of the Libros Lege Volunteers Committee.
The Winners in Detail
This was Caroline Kielczewski’s third time reading for Libros Lege – and the third time was
the charm. This year she read from Trans-Atlantyk by Witold Gombrowicz. She gave a spell-
binding, energetic and extremely amusing reading of a scene where a general challenges a gay
Argentinean to a duel over his son’s honor. The reading had so much passion and Caroline
switched between the two characters so well that she easily won first place. Caroline is studying
biology at Loyola University Chicago and lives in Chicago. Her younger sister, Agatha
Kielczewski, had won during the second year of the contest in 2009.

2. Duels seemed to be magical scenes this year. Ethan Ensler read from The Doll by Boleslaw
Prus. He also chose a passage that involved a duel. The Baron and Wokulski meet in the woods
with pistols and Wokulski ends up taking out a tooth and shooting a hole in the Baron’s mouth.
Ethan captured the drama of the scene and its comical finish. Ethan is a junior biomedical
engineering major at Northwestern University in Evanston and lives in Evanston although his
home is Los Altos, California.
Sylvia Prokopowicz also read from The Doll by Boleslaw Prus but she chose a conversation
between Wokulski and Rzecki in the shop. She gave an almost flawless performance and
switched the characters’ voices expertly. The cherry on top was her perfect timing of both the
introduction and the reading. She is a senior at the University of Chicago studying English
literature but she also has a strong interest in painting. She lives in Des Plaines.
The other two winners were high school students from the Harwood Heights community that
Eisenhower serves. Joanne Dynak read from Fire in the Steppe by Henryk Sienkiewicz. She
describes the journey of Basia across the open land, which she says corresponds well to the
Polish spirit. Her reading was passionate and although sometimes very fast, her words did not
become unclear. Joanne is a junior at Ridgewood High School and she lives in Harwood Heights.
Last but not least, Karol Kmiecik read from the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
Although he chose the typical scene of Kurtz dying and his last words “the horror, the horror,”
Karol gave an original and incredibly passionate rendition of the passage. Karol is a musician
and shortly after reading he left to perform at a concert. He is a senior at Main South High
School and lives in Harwood Heights.
Honorable Mentions
About 50 people competed for 5 trips this year. Of those performances, many were incredible
and the judges found it extremely difficult to choose the winners.
Below are 25 honorable mentions. We highly encourage them to read next year. Please keep
in mind that this year’s first place winner had read twice before she won.
Alex Elzakowski Katarzyna Cichonska Natalie Chreptowicz
Anna Dolecki Katarzyna Daniliszyn Paulina Mateja
Anna Purymska Kinga Magiera Sabina Barnak
Christine Bukowski Konrad Gnat Sylvia Olak
Dana Peters Laura Simons Sylvia Wolicki
David Kasjanski Maya Skorupski Veronica Lesny
David Popowski Michal Godlewski Wladyslaw Tylka
Jessica Chrzan Michal Niemiec
Johanno Wawro Monika Spalinski
General thoughts of advice from the panel…
• Time your reading – read no less and no more than 4 minutes. Many of these readers were
disqualified because they read for less than 2 minutes or for more than 5 minutes.
• Read slowly and clearly. Take your time.
• Look up at the jury at moments. This both helps you see how the judges are reacting to your
reading and enhances your reading.
• Be expressive with your voice and face. Connect with the reading.
Thanks and good luck next year!!!

3. From left to right:
Kinga Kosmala, VIP Judge
Aleks Sierakowski, LLVC
Ron Stoch, EPL Director
Joanna Tucholska, LL Author
Alicja Kukulka, LLVC
Nancy Barry Moore, VIP Judge
Patrica Radkowski, LLVC
This press release was prepared by Patricia Radkowski, Libros Lege Volunteers Committee.

5. Libros Lege
Spring 2011
4th Annual Read-Aloud Contest
The Contest Information Packet
The Extract
Libros Lege is an annual read-aloud contest. Contestants pick a book from the list provided, read
all of it in English, and then choose an excerpt to read out loud in English for a panel of judges and
audience. To enter this contest, you must be at least 16 years old, able to obtain a passport and able to
depart from O’Hare International Airport for the trip. You sign up for a 10-minute reading slot online
at Eisenhower Public Library’s website (http://www.eisenhowerlibrary.org/) between Sunday,
February 27th and Saturday, April 2nd. The readings will take place at Eisenhower on Saturday,
April 9th and Sunday, April 10th (with contingent dates Saturday, April 16th and Sunday, April
17th). Saturday readings take place between 10am and 5pm; Sunday readings, between 1pm and
5pm. The 5 winners go on a 9-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Warsaw, Poland during the summer of
2011.
The Mission
Libros Lege seeks to foster cultural understanding, exchange and appreciation among the citizens
of the United States and Poland through exposure to foreign literatures, languages and cultures.
Contest participants in the US read English translations of Polish literature while Polish participants
read American literature in English. By exposing themselves to different perspectives through books,
readers expand their knowledge of the foreign and increase their tolerance of the different. The ten
contest winners are immersed into the other culture the summer after the contest. The five American
winners of LL become representatives of their country and spend nine days in Warsaw and the
surrounding region. The five Polish winners of LL tour Chicago.
Libros Lege also encourages the reading of books in general, the exploration of other cultures
through literature, the learning of languages, and interest in the United States and Poland. In addition,
it aims to strengthen the position of public libraries in both countries.
The Contest Overview
Libros Lege is a read-aloud contest authored by Joanna Tucholska. (“Libros lege” means “read
books!” in Latin.) This is the fourth year that Eisenhower Public Library and the Warsaw Public
Library are cooperating for this contest. American participants choose a Polish book in English
translation from the list provided. After reading the entire book in English, they choose a passage
from the book that they would like to read aloud in front of a panel of judges and audience. The 5 LL
winners are awarded an all-expenses-paid, 9-day-long trip to Warsaw, Poland over the summer.
The Requirements for Participation
You must meet 3 requirements to participate in Libros Lege:
 Age: You must be 16 years of age or older as of May 1st, 2011.
 Passport: You must have a current passport or be able to promptly obtain one.

6.  Chicagoland: You must be able to get to and from Chicago O’Hare International
Airport on your own.
All of these criteria will be checked upon your entry into The Finals. Participants should also
have a valid library card to check out their book.
You need not be a resident of Chicagoland to participate in LL. For example, a student going to
college in Chicago may participate, as long as the participant is willing to take responsibility for all
the costs involved with coming to Chicago to participate in the trip. No special arrangements will be
made for you, and the trip leaves from Chicago O’Hare International Airport only.
The contest is closed for all family members of library employees and trustees, former LL
winners, as well as English language teachers and professional performers. Should a family member
of a judge participate, that judge shall abstain from giving a score. Please note, former LL
participants, but not LL winners, are encouraged to read again.
The Process
Libros Lege always takes place in the spring. Parallel contests are held in Poland and in the US.
In the US, the contest is held at Eisenhower Public Library in Harwood Heights. The contest is
announced around March 4th, the birthday of Casimir Pulaski. The signup for Libros Lege 2011
opens on Sunday, February 27th and closes on Saturday, April 2nd. To sign up, make sure that
you meet the 3 requirements above and have a library card if you are checking a book out.
The signup process this year is completely electronic. To sign up for LL, please visit Eisenhower
Public Library’s website at http://www.eisenhowerlibrary.org/ and look at the calendar. Click on the
time slot that is available and works for you. Please fill out all of the participant information. (For
assistance, please call the Eisenhower Public Library.) The sooner you sign up, the more likely that
you will get the 10-minute reading slot you prefer. If you can no longer make it to your reading for
any reason, you must cancel your reservation at least 24 hours ahead of time.
The exact days of the readings depend on the number of contestants. Readings will definitely
take place on Saturday, April 9th and Sunday, April 10th. A second week of readings is
contingent on the number of contestants or a runoff. (The second weekend will not be opened until
the first weekend is full.) The next sessions of readings, if necessary, will take place on Saturday,
April 16th and Sunday, April 17th. Saturday readings will be held between 10am and 5pm. Sunday
readings will be held between 1pm and 5pm.
Five winners will be chosen and announced. The awards ceremony will take place on the
Saturday coinciding with Chicago’s May 3rd celebration and you should plan to attend this event. In
previous years, representatives of the Polish government handed out awards on the stage in
Millennium Park or at Poland on the Pier events.
The Performance
Your performance (approximately 6 minutes) should contain two parts: the introduction (1-2
minutes) and the reading (4-5 minutes). You will do both in English. The reading is valued more
than the introduction but it is always important to make a good first impression. You are, after all,
going to be representing America during your trip to Warsaw.
The introduction is your chance to tell us a bit about yourself and the book. Be creative and
interesting. Your introduction should definitely contain:
 Your name (and perhaps what you do: student, nurse, etc.)
 The title and author of the book

7.  A brief discussion of something related to the work you chose; possible topics include:
o The historical importance of the book and/or the author, in history or in your life
o A discussion of Polish literature
o The cultural impact of the piece
o Why you chose the book or specific passage
o An interpretation of the selection (meaning, symbolism, structural elements, etc.)
o What this book means to you
Your introduction should not be longer than 2 minutes.
You will be reading an excerpt of your choice from a book you have read in its entirety on the
booklist provided. (The possibility does exist that the panel of judges will ask you a simple question
about the book.) The actual length of the passage is up to you, but you should be able to read the
passage well in about 4 minutes. You need not memorize the text; you can bring a copy of the book
or a print-out/photocopy of the text.
The total performance should not last longer than 6 minutes. Any extra time you take will
negatively impact your score, so please time your reading. The judges will NOT cut you off after
your time is up. A lectern and a clock will be provided. No theatrical props or music please. Please
dress appropriately for reading in front of a panel of judges and audience; no costumes.
After your reading, the library will take a digital photo of you and your book to help the panel of
judges keep track of contestants. You can opt out. Please fill out a publicity survey after your
performance. You can leave after your performance or stay and watch the competition.
The Books
Please read a book on this list and pick an excerpt from it to perform. Most libraries, such as
Eisenhower, have these books and you may check one out with your library card. You can also
obtain the book on your own, perhaps from a personal collection or at a bookstore.
Title Author
The Argonauts Eliza Orzeszko/Orzeszkowa
The Captive Mind Czeslaw Milosz
Cosmos Witold Gombrowicz
Death in Danzig Stefan Chwin
The Doll Boleslaw Prus
The Eighth Day of the Week Marek Hlasko
The Elephant Slawomir Mrozek
The Emperor Ryszard Kapuscinski
Ferdydurke Witold Gombrowicz
Give Us This Day Janusz Glowacki
Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad / Jozef Korzeniowski
House of Day, House of Night Olga Tokarczuk
The Issa Valley Czeslaw Milosz
The Key to Heaven Leszek Kolakowski
King Matt the First Janusz Korczak
The Knights of the Cross Henryk Sienkiewicz
The Last Wish Andrzej Sapkowski
Lord Jim Joseph Conrad / Jozef Korzeniowski
Madame Antoni Libera
The Manuscript Found in Saragossa Jan Potocki

8. Memoir of the Warsaw Uprising Miron Bialoszewski
A Minor Apocalypse Tadeusz Konwicki
Native Realm: A Search for Self-Definition Czeslaw Milosz
Nine Andrzej Stasiuk
Nostromo Joseph Conrad / Jozef Korzeniowski
The Peasants Wladyslaw Reymont
Polish Fables Ignacy Krasicki
Quo Vadis Henryk Sienkiewicz
Shah of Shahs Ryszard Kapuscinski
The Soccer War Ryszard Kapuscinski
Solaris Stanislaw Lem
Tales from the Kingdom of Lailonia Leszek Kolakowski
Tales of Pirx the Pilot Stanislaw Lem
A Thousand Peaceful Cities Jerzy Pilch
Trans-Atlantyk Witold Gombrowicz
The Trilogy:
The Deluge Henryk Sienkiewicz
Fire in the Steppe / Colonel Wolodyjowski Henryk Sienkiewicz
With Fire and Sword Henryk Sienkiewicz
The Judging
The Judges, a panel of 5 to 10 individuals, will score your performance. The Judges will focus
primarily on your reading: overall passion/energy, passage choice, clarity/pronunciation,
tone/volume, expressiveness, etc. Secondary aspects of the performance include the introduction and
body language. Like any public speaker, focus on your use of voice, eyes and face.
The Judges will be looking for a flawless performance of the text, not just a satisfactory reading.
Expressiveness, artistry and creativity are encouraged.
The Trip
The 5 winners of Libros Lege choose a week, usually in the late summer (second half of August
or first half of September), to tour Warsaw, Poland, and the Mazovia area as a group. All travel
(round-trip flight) and stay costs (accommodations, meals, entry fees, local transportation, etc.) are
taken care of by the promoters. All of the arrangements are made by the library.
In 2010 the American winners:
- Toured the Senate of the Republic of Poland, including its VIP room
- Sipped delicious chocolate desserts at the E. Wedel Chocolate Drinking House
- Dined with local authorities and the County Public Library officials in Rzeczniow
- Traveled underground in the prehistoric silica mines in Krzemionki
- Created porcelain figures and went inside the enormous porcelain-firing kiln at the Cmielow
Museum of Chinaware
- Took a horse-wagon ride and rode horseback through the trails of Baltow
- Rafted, enjoyed the amusement park and experienced a 5D movie in the Jurassic Park of Baltow
- Took a choo-choo trip to Marcule to visit the arboretum and make friends around a bonfire
- Visited the Royal Castle in Warsaw, The Frederyk Chopin Museum and the 1944 Warsaw
Uprising Museum
- Hand-wove with local weaver Jadwiga Czubak

9. In 2009 the American winners:
- Toured the Old Town, Royal Baths Park and Royal Castle in Warsaw
- Met with librarians at the Koszykowa Public Library in Warsaw, Kozienice Public Library and
the Minsk Mazowiecki Public Library
- Canoed down the River Liwiec
- Attended the Polish Knighthood Tournament at medieval Liw Fortress
- Took a horse-cart ride through the Kozienice Ancient Forests
- Witnessed Polish hospitality at Garbatka Letnisko
- Took a horse ride while visiting the State Horse Stud in Kozienice
- Spent 2 days at Kazimierz Dolny, a pearl of Polish Renaissance Architecture
- Took a cruise on the Vistula River
- Attended the 5th International Music Festival “Chopin and His Europe” at the National
Philharmonic in Warsaw
- Saw the 1944 Warsaw Uprising Museum
The exact program changes each year. The 5 winners will receive another information packet
with more details after the award ceremony.
The Endorsement
While Libros Lege may be a relatively young contest, it has received quite a lot of endorsement,
most notably from the Polish Consulate in Chicago. You can read or hear about LL through the
following media supporters in Chicago: Pioneer Local, Dziennik Zwiazkowy, Polskie Radio
1030AM, TVP Polonia and Polvision.
The Polish branch of the contest is supported by the Mayor of the City of Warsaw, the
Ambassador of the United States to Poland and the Marshal of the Mazovia Province; and its media
sponsors are Newsweek Polska and a public radio station in Warsaw: Radio dla Ciebie.
The Contact Information
Eisenhower Public Library is located at 4613 N. Oketo Avenue in Harwood Heights, IL 60706-
4690. Their website address is http://www.eisenhowerlibrary.org/. Their general phone number is 1-
708-867-7828. Their fax number is 1-708-867-2286.
The head organizer of Libros Lege in the United States is Eisenhower Public Library’s Director
Ron Stoch. His e-mail address is stochr@eisenhowerpld.org. His assistant is Patricia Radkowski.
If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to libroslege@eisenhowerpld.org or Mr. Stoch,
or call Eisenhower Library.
You can also find us on Facebook. Search for “Libros Lege” and join us online.
The Latest
This information packet was released on February 27th, 2011. For the most up-to-date
information on Libros Lege, please visit http://www.eisenhowerlibrary.org/ and click on the “Libros
Lege” link or join the facebook group “Libros Lege.” Thank you and good luck!