New York State Library announces 2025 Battle of the Books winners

The New York State Library has announced the winners of the 2025 Battle of the Books competition. The contest, which tests students' literary knowledge, took place at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York. Participating teams came from regional middle and high schools with the North region represented by Fort Plain, Gloversville, and Canajoharie Central School Districts, and the South region by Cooperstown, Roxbury, and Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School Districts.

Students in teams of 5-6 went head-to-head, identifying pre-selected books from quotes. One notable quote was, "I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun", recognizable from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." After six rounds, the middle school champion was Gloversville Middle School, while Cooperstown High School claimed victory in the high school category.

State Librarian Lauren Moore commented on the event, stating, "Battle of the Books is something we look forward to every year as it demonstrates the importance of libraries in a young person’s education and provides an opportunity for students to develop a love of literature in a fun, unique, and meaningful way. A lot of studying goes into Battle of the Books, and I continue to be impressed with not only their recall, but the amount of strategy and comprehension that goes into the competition. A huge congratulations to all who participated! It was truly a wonderful day of literary exploration."

Besides competing, students toured the State Museum and Library, gaining insights into educational resources such as the Research Library and NOVELny, an online library available to New Yorkers at no cost.

This competition marked the final for these regional teams, though other events may still occur throughout the state.

Established in 1818, the New York State Library is the largest in the nation and one of the biggest research libraries in North America. It manages over 7,000 libraries and preserves historical collections. The Library also serves as a Regional Depository for federal publications, partnering with federal depository libraries in the state. It is the official repository of New York State government publications.

The New York State Library, part of the Office of Cultural Education and located in Albany, is open on weekdays. It contains robust collections accessible both onsite and through an interlibrary loan program. Researchers can also explore its digital collections online.

For more details, access the New York State Library website and subscribe to its newsletter.