More on graphic novels

Browsing through ALA Direct this morning there was a link in the "Seen Online" section regarding graphic novels highlighted an Associated Press article from the International Heral Tribune; As more graphic novels appear in libraries, so do challenges. This article touches on issues regarding the graphic element in graphic novels and the important issue of these novels not always being for children. Graphic novel collections in academic libraries differ from graphic novels in public libraries. An academic library is purchasing to support a curriculum and a public library purchases to support the public. While the two overlap in many ways, each library is following a collection development and selection policy for purchases, there is a definite distinction in the resulting novels being added. From the article:

"Sales of graphic novels have more than tripled from $75 million in 2001. Milton Griepp, chief executive of ICV2, which tracks the pop culture marketplace, estimated libraries add another 5 percent to 10 percent to those retail sales figures."

"The Chicago-based American Library Association said it knows of at least 14 challenges relating to graphic novels in U.S. libraries over the past two to three years."

"The issue has become prevalent enough that the ALA, the National Coalition Against Censorship and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund earlier this year put out a set of recommendations for librarians looking to begin their own graphic novel collections but wanting to avoid controversy."

Tags: Graphic Novels, AlA Direct, Challenging graphic novels, International Herald Tribune

Collection Development: Graphic Novels

An interesting question was posted to the EBSS List Serv this afternoon concerning graphic novels and collection development policy. Is anyone including graphic novels in their juvenile or regular circulating collection? If so, what type of policy is being used to select and incorporate this genre into academic collections? I am curious as to how others are handling graphic novels in their collections.

I started including graphic novels after asking the professors teaching children and young adult literature at AU. The young adult class is required to read graphic novels, so I have a ready audience. One issue I have encountered is the placement of the books when cataloged. Some of them are in the juvenile collection. Others, because of graphic nature of the illustrations, content, or language, have been added to the regular circulating collection. Making that determination has not been simple. We spend time perusing each purchase individually to make sure location in the library is appropriate (adhering to development policy). With that in mind, our cataloger has added 'graphic novels' as a subject heading to each book, making it easier for students to locate within the catalog.

Note: Special thanks to Andrea Williams, Curriculum Materials Librarian at Midwestern State University for posting her inquiry on the EBSS List.