The short story contest was created as a way to inspire students, faculty, and staff to write creatively. This is also a way for the library to support those who wish to participate in National Novel Writing Month. Those who participate in the short story contest are given a choice of prompts they must use to create a unique and imaginative story. The stories are then sent off to a set of judges who read each story and score them based on a set of criteria. The stories are also featured in the library's publication Speaking Volumes.