Johannigmeier 1
Bibliography
“ALA Questions Removal of Graphic Novel in Chicago.” American Libraries 44, no. 5 (May 2013): 8–8
This brief news article serves as a specific example of an instance of censorship with a graphic novel, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. In Chicago Public Schools, action to remove copies of this graphic novel from the district occurred. According to the article, the action of removal inspired protests from directly affected people and indirectly affected groups. This article is useful as a piece of evidence of current censorship of graphic novels in library settings. It also provides information on graphic novel advocates. Community members and librarians are joined together in protesting this censorship.
Baird, Zahra M., and Tracey Jackson. “Getting Graphic: The Rise of Graphic Novels for Children.” Special Section 5, no. 1 (Spring 2007): 5–7
This brief article serves as a tool and resource about graphic novels for youth service librarians. It briefly addresses the controversy of some graphic novels, but the authors make it clear that there are ways to avoid it. There is a list of considerations for developing a children’s graphic novel collection. It is a list that suggests the development of policies that mention graphic novels. It also lists the need for an “intellectual freedom policy” (Baird and Jackson 6). Since the list is concise, there are no examples or explanations of strategies. Yet, it is an article that iis a fantastic starting point for a children’s librarian.
Charbonneau, Olivier. “Adult Graphic Novels Readers: A Survey in a Montreal Library.” Young Adult Library Services 3, no. 4 (Summer 2005): 39–42
This is a summary of research conducted at the Octogone Library in Montreal, Canada. Here, under the terminology of “la bande dessinée,” or “illustrated strips,” graphic novel usage in the adult collection is observed. The needs and wants of users are also recorded. Due to time restraints, the decision was made to focus solely on adult graphic novel collections. This source also contains statistics involving young adults’ interest in manga. It is a very brief text, and it is not directly about challenged or banned graphic novels. There is still value though in details found in the study, and the age of users is a helpful point of data to consider.
“Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.” Accessed October 24, 2015.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has existed since 1986 to serve the comic book community in protecting their rights. The website contains sections for librarians, teachers, and those seeking legal guidance. There is also a well-documented history of comic book censorship in case files and historical research. The CBLDF also publishes digital and print resources, and the digital resources are free for use. CBLDF also works with Banned Books Week and the American Library Association. As a resource, it is an essential and free tool in developing any comic book collection for a library. I found the handbook, the case files, the images and the guides to be incredibly useful. The only suggestion I would have for this resource is producing a study on challenged graphic novels in the library.
Crawford, Philip Charles. Graphic Novels 101 : Selecting and Using Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy for Children and Young Adults : A Resouce Guide for School Librarians and Educators . Salt Lake City, UT : Hi Willow Research & Pub., c2003.
The author of this text has created a useful and concise resource for educators and librarians. It is also a resource that promotes the development of literacy skills in youth through graphic novels. The chapter I specifically used from this text was titled “Graphic Novels in the School Collection Development Issues.” It covers issues of age, cataloging, placement, and pilfering. The text also addresses the potential problems of the way women are sometimes illustrated in comics. It is certainly not the best discourse on gender in comics, but it does address a topic that is pertinent to challenged graphic novels. While this is aimed at school librarians and educators, a youth services librarian could use this book to learn about graphic novels.
Fagan, Bryan D., and Jody Condit Fagan. Comic Book Collections for Libraries . Santa Barbara, California : Libraries Unlimited, c2011.
This text examines comic book collections in libraries. For my own research, the chapters highlighting “Comic Books, Graphic Novels, and Popular Culture” and “Creating and Maintaining a Core Comic Book Collection” were utilized. “Comic Books, Graphic Novels, and Popular Culture” provides a history of comic books and the debates of their place in libraries. “Creating and Maintaining a Core Comic Book Collection” provides insight into questions about selecting of graphic novels for people of various ages. This book also offers insights into graphic novels and how they are used in the library with concise chapters and practical examples. It even contains two chapters that discuss different examples of cataloging. If a person develops a comic book collection in a public library, this is a noteworthy resource.
Fee, William T. B. “Where Is the Justice… League?: Graphic Novel Cataloging and Classification.” Serials Review 39, no. 1 (March 2013): 37–46. doi:10.1016/j.serrev.2013.02.004
The author, William Fee, takes a step by step approach describing methods of classification and cataloging for graphic novels in the library. This is not necessarily a resource that focuses specifically on challenged or banned graphic novels. However, one of the topics concerns patron usage and suitability in classification. One specific suggestion is adding an age range to a graphic novel being catalogued. In the future, a potential strategy would be to make age range visible in a search of the catalog. For the librarian who wants to understand the process of cataloging graphic novels, this article is incredibly useful.
Fletcher-Spear, Kristen, and Merideth Jenson-Benjamin. Library Collections for Teens : Manga and Graphic Novels /. Bowie, Maryland : E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC in association with Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2011
While manga is often mentioned in discussion of graphic novels, this text provides information about graphic novels with a focus on manga. The authors provide not only chapters with information on various aspects of manga in a library collection, but they also provide brief reviews of mangas and a glossary on terminology. The chapters that informed this research project are the chapters “Benefits of Graphic Novels” and “Collection Development and Management.” These chapters provide strategies for developing a teen appropriate collection. One useful strategy in determining suitability involves looking through the panels in a graphic novel and comparing “the total number of panels” with “the total number of objectionable panels” (Fletcher-Spear and Jenson-Benjamin 67). This resource is useful for youth service librarians because the authors are professional youth service librarians and are credible resources.
Goldberg, Beverly. “Kentuckians Take Sides about Graphic Nature of Graphic Novel.” American Libraries Magazine, November 25, 2009.
This online article provides insight into the case involving the censorship of an Alan Moore graphic novel. This case is distinctive because it was not an instance of a direct challenge. Employees of the library purposefully kept a graphic novel away from a child based on the content. This article deals with the aftermath and informs the audience about the way the library handled the situation and controversy that followed. This is a case covered by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund on their website. However, this is an interesting account courtesy of the American Library Association publication.
Goldsmith, Francisca. “What’s in a Name: Nomenclature and Libraries.” In Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging, edited by Robert G. Weiner, 185–91. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010
In her article, Francisca Goldsmith considers the language used when discussing graphic novels. This research examines what formats and genres people tend to refer to when they are talking about graphic novels. The term, graphic novel, is used in many of the various resources I have utilized for this project. Even though different formats have different labels, there is a tendency to refer to them as graphic novels. In her text, Goldsmith considers this a potentially negative situation. Goldsmith notes that the word graphic is either used to give credibility to a text or to question the suitability of the content. Ultimately, it is a useful resource for considering the nature of the language with regards to this visual and textual format.
Greyson, Devon. “GLBTQ Content in Comics/graphic Novels for Teens.” Collection Building 26, no. 4 (October 9, 2007): 130–34. doi:10.1108/01604950710831942
Devon Greyson examines the prominence of graphic novels in youth services, and she uses that topic to explore comics with GLBTQ+ representation. In examining representation, Greyson acknowledges challenges against graphic novels based specifically about the topic matter. An excellent point discussed by the author is the impact the “visual media” of graphic novels on challenges. Greyson offers suggestions for librarians developing a young adult collection of graphic novels with GLBTQ+ content. Policy and reviews are discussed. Yet, it is clear by the end of the article that more research is necessary to develop effective strategies to counter censorship.
Haines, Annette. “Strategies for Developing a Graphic Novel/Comic Book Collection.” Art Documentation: Bulletin of the Art Libraries Society of North America 26, no. 1 (Spring 2007): 31–36
This article, which presents itself in a format visually similar to a graphic novel, provides a strategy to incorporate graphic novels into a library. What is unique about this resource is that it touches on developing a group of people to work on graphic novel development. Having people who serve as a network for guidance is a resource for combatting challenges to materials found in the library. For the novice librarian to the experienced librarian, these suggestions from other librarians can be helpful in building and improving the graphic novel collection development.
Hartman, Amy. “Creative Shelving: Placement in Library Collections.” In Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging, edited by Robert G. Weiner, 52–62. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010
Amy Hartman details the challenges and solutions to shelving graphic novels in a public library by documenting the approach used the Ohio Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. She recognizes the challenges of choosing collection location based around age. Sometimes, decision making may rely on instinct. Other times, it may rely on the needs of the patrons. The article delves into the debate between numbers based cataloging and format based cataloging. It would be interesting to see a wider range of libraries examined in this text, since this is only one library. However, the author is knowledgeable about the topic, and her suggestions could be modified by other collection developers.
Heaney, Mary Jane. “Graphic Novels: A Sure Bet for Your Library.” Collection Building 26, no. 3 (August 2007): 72–76. doi:10.1108/01604950710761625
Mary Jane Heaney examines research compiled on the presence of graphic novels in the school library. Through the essay, she addresses the concerns about elements of graphic novels that may cause challenges, such as violence and mature content. An interesting point of her discussion is that there are times when complaints are made without understanding the whole context of the graphic novel. She also takes the time to detail the benefits of graphic novels in the development of childhood literacy skills. She explores the popularity of this format for a younger audience. By considering these topics, Heaney establishes some questions for a librarian to use when they are making a decision on a graphic novel collection addition.
Hoover, Steven. “The Case for Graphic Novels.” Communications in Information Literacy 5, no. 2 (February 20, 2012): 174–86. doi:10.7548/cil.v5i2.169
The author of the piece focuses on the pedagogical benefits of graphic novels. It briefly addresses controversy, and it builds an argument against negative perspectives by examining the beneficial aspects created by including graphic novels in the library. The librarians can help educators use graphic novels in the classroom, and the librarians can also serve as instructors of the material. The article addresses how this type of instruction can challenge perceptions of graphic novels. As a resource, it is most helpful for youth service librarians who want to work with schools. It is also useful for educators who want to bring graphic novels into the classroom.
Lanier, Gene D. “Conducting a Challenge Hearing | Banned & Challenged Books.” American Library Association. Accessed October 26, 2015.
This resource by a former member of a library education program addresses strategies for dealing with challenged books. Going through a review process is briefly discussed and a hearing process is examined. This resource addresses all types of banned books, making it a resource that benefits not only challenged and banned graphic novels but other texts as well. This resource is concise in its presentation, and addresses concerns such as etiquette and responsibility while handling a case about a challenged book. The source is credible, and the practical public librarian should use this resource even if they are not developing a graphic novel collection.
Masuchika, Glenn. “Japanese Cartoons, Virtual Child Pornography, Academic Libraries, and the Law.” Reference & User Services Quarterly 54, no. 4 (Summer 2015): 54–60
The article focuses on academic libraries, but the author provides a thorough examination of policies on obscenities as it relates to Japanese manga. Some of the cases mentioned in the article are also mentioned on the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s website. These cases concern manga that depicts people who appear to be minors involved in sexually inappropriate images. However, these cases also examine the reality of the difference between cultures. This article reflects on academic libraries that contain manga that may not be acceptable in our culture. The author details laws that could potentially affect academic libraries with these items. While this may be more pertinent to academic libraries, being aware of laws and responsibilities is a concern for public libraries.
Moeller, Robin A. “Convincing the Naysayers...” Knowledge Quest 41, no. 3 (February 1, 2013): 12–17
This article is a reflection and guide on introducing graphic novels into a school library. The situation that Robin Moeller depicts, a school refusing her permission to bring in graphic novels, is an example of potential problems facing graphic novel collections. It is also an example of the problem of terminology, as school officials saw the word “graphic” as a term detailing mature content. This article also covers the benefits graphic novels bring to children’s education. For a teacher, this resource details the way the Common Core Standards can be used for graphic novels. The advice provided is also useful for library media specialists.
National Coalition against Censorship (U.S.), American Library Association, and Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. “Graphic Novels Suggestions for Librarians,” 2006.
This text was created to assist all librarians in the public library, and it addresses various concerns librarians have about graphic novels. It presents statistics regarding the presence and challenges of graphic novels in the library. An interesting piece of information within the text is that out of 185 libraries, 23% had dealt with challenges to graphic novels. Unfortunately, no updated numbers or studies have been added to this article. One incredibly useful section is “sample questions and answers.” While it is almost ten years old, this resource is valuable because it is informative and it is provided by credible organizations.
Nyberg, Amy Kiste. “How Librarians Learned to Love the Graphic Novel.” In Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging, edited by Robert G. Weiner, 26–40. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010
Amy Kiste Nyberg, an authority on comics history, examines the librarian’s changing perspective throughout the history of graphic novels. A chronicle of these perspectives is fascinating, as librarians in the early days of comics had a negative attitude towards the format. Nyberg notes how attitudes toward graphic novels changed, and examines the consequences from that change. While there are not many suggestions for handling the possible challenges towards graphic novels in the library, this article provides a reflection on the past and present of graphic novels in the library. I believe that this history is still important, and in the future, I would like to conduct further research on the connection between the history of graphic novels and the current challenged graphic novels.
Schneider, Edward Francis. “A Survey of Graphic Novel Collection and Use in American Public Libraries.” Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 9, no. 3 (September 6, 2014): 68–79
While this article covers graphic novels, as it suggests in the title, graphic novels are used as a tool of comparison for video games in the library. The researcher takes into account how these two visual formats are similar in the way they have been viewed by librarians and patrons. The author studies the widespread acceptance of graphic novels in the library, and he conducts research by asking libraries about the presence of graphic novels. While there are no specific “banned” graphic novels discussed, the research and results provide interesting insight into the views of graphic novels. For example, his research found that the majority of patrons picking up graphic novels are minors. He also discovered that about 20% of libraries have a specific “part of their shelving” for graphic novels (Schneider 75).