Higher Education Commons^™

Bam! Pow! Graphic Novels Fight Stereotypes In Academic Libraries: Supporting, Collecting, Promoting, Beth Jane Toren

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

This study examines the launch of a graphic novel collection in an academic library and presents a study analyzing the increase of titles in Association of Research Libraries with the subject heading “Graphic Novels” between fall 2008 and fall 2009. Statistics show a 40% increase, averaging 62 additional titles, during a year of global financial crisis. Exploring the prejudice against comics lingering in more traditional corners of academia, this paper encourages librarians to counter stereotypes and therefore bring more people, including other librarians, to view graphic novels as literature. This study includes recommended practices for supporting, collecting, and promoting these …