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Addressing Librarians' Concerns
Concern #1: "Parents and Community Members Will Object to Comics in the Library."
- To an overwhelming degree, library literature indicates this fear is unfounded. School and Public librarians who initiate a Graphic Novel collection are pleasantly surprised by the absence of negative feedback from parents, teachers, administrators, or board member
- In fact, the complete opposite is true. Parents and community members often express delight and enthusiasm when they learn about the Graphic Novel collection.
- Graphic Novel collections in libraries can (and do) generate favorable publicity for the library.
- Librarians with Graphic Novel collections notice that word-of-mouth about the new service brings new patrons to the library.
- A Graphic Novel collection can serve as a focal point for young-adult programming, including guest speakers, discussion groups, and swap meets.
- Nevertheless, librarians must exercise care in selecting Graphic Novels and graphic novels which are age-appropriate and suitable for their user community, and they must be prepared to address any censorship challenges which might arise.
- As with most aspects of popular culture, the vast majority of Graphic Novels represent "light entertainment" at best and "junk reading" at worst. The junk is fairly easy to identify and avoid. More important, there is nothing inherently wrong with light entertainment of good-to-reasonable quality. If librarians objected to this on principle, they wouldn't be purchasing Hardy Boy books, Goosebumps, or similar escapist fare for children and teens.
- Kids like Graphic Novels. This is, without question, the most compelling reason for libraries to purchase them.
- Many Graphic Novels and graphic novels represent serious works worthy of serious attention. For every ten titles like Vampirella versus Lady Death, Graphic Novel publishers manage to produce at least one outstanding title, such as "Maus: A Survivor's Tale." This is especially true of original graphic novels. Librarians can provide a wonderful service to their young patrons by pointing readers to the best material the Graphic Novel industry offers.
- Graphic Novels can be an important tool to encourage reading and improve reading skills.
- Graphic Novels represent a uniquely American art form and an important aspect of popular culture. Traditionally, libraries have collected, disseminated, and preserved all types of literature. No defensible reasons suggest why Graphic Novels should be excluded from this mission.
- The majority of currently published Graphic Novels, especially traditional super-hero comics, portray positive messages, such as using one's abilities to help others, the value of perseverance, and striving to be the best one can be. Graphic Novel icons such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Spider-Man provide positive role models for boys and girls alike. For example, Gloria Steinem has written about the impact Wonder Woman had on her and other young girls of her generation.
- Many of today's Graphic Novels do present questionable material, including raw language, extreme violence, sexual activity, the objectification of women, and flagrant disrespect for authority, to name a few. As with any collection-building effort, librarians must make an effort to identify comics and graphic novels appropriate for their user community.
- Modern Graphic Novels utilize high-grade paper, inks, and printing methods. The days of newsprint comics are largely gone.
- Shelf-life of library comics can be extended through the use of plastic magazine covers or similar preservation methods.
- In most cases, school and public libraries treat their Graphic Novels as a current browsing collection, retaining recent years only, as with other popular periodicals.
- Shelf-life of library comics can be extended through the use of plastic magazine covers or similar preservation methods.
- Given their relatively low subscription prices, the cost-per-circulation ratio for Graphic Novels is extremely favorable for libraries.
- Librarians with strong reservations about collecting Graphic Novels as periodicals should strongly consider collecting trade paperback collections and graphic novels. These offer an eminently suitable format for library use, and often represent the best Graphic Novel stories.
- By slightly defacing each Graphic Novel, libraries effectively eliminate the value of the item as a collectible object. This can be accomplished by stamping the Library's name on the margin or inside cover, by punching a small hole in each cover, or similar means which do not obscure the story and art.
- Experience indicates that most libraries with Graphic Novel collections actually realize a net increase in holdings, despite any potential losses from theft and damage. How? By encouraging patrons to donate unwanted comics from home.
