It's about to get real graphic

I am a fan of graphic novels, specifically, manga. I gained an interest in type of reading material when I was 21. I was dating this kid that was all about manga. I didn't understand the appeal of these books. At first glance, I thought they were silly and a bit juvenile for my partner who was 29 back then. After we broke up, naturally, I started dating someone else. Coincidently, my new prospect was into manga. During our courtship, I was working at a bookstore and they only carried a minimal amount of manga. Being the diligent worker I was known to be, I decided that while I was on the clock I might as well check out our graphic novel section. Surprisingly, I was totally into it (not the Marvel comics).

I now have my own small, very small, collection of manga including my personal favorite Naruto (I even have a tattoo from this series...hehe...uh, shirt tug)!

At first, as I described above, I was skeptical of the merit and maturity of this genre, but after taking a closer look, I realized that this visual and textual experience is entertaining, creative and a fun read.

I was thoroughly pleased to read "What Teens Want: Thirty Graphic Novels you Can't Live Without" by Michele Gorman. From the title I thought this would be an article solely about graphic novels suited for teens. I was pleased and intrigued that this was more than a pathfinder for graphic novels; it was a collection, cataloging and integration manual for public libraries. I was impressed how Gorman emphasized, much like Lisa Heggeum during her talk last Wednesday, that teens need to be involved in the advisory committee to ensure the collection of your library will reflect the interest of the young adults and b/c, "This [having teens on the advisory committee] will provide feedback and help advertise the availability of graphic novels in your library. Word of mouth is the fastest way to spread news about new programs or materials" (44).

In other news…

I was really into "Sex Thugs, and Rock 'n' Roll: Magazines for Young Adults" by Patrick Jones.

I thought back to when I was a preteen. I loved to read magazines and I would read any time I was presented with "Teen" or "YM", though I wouldn't consider myself to have been an avid reader. This is not an uncommon misconception. As Jones notes, "Often when librarians say that YAs don't like to read, they must mean books, because YA do like to read magazines" (100).

What I found most appealing about these 2 magazines was that there was always a quiz about how to be a better kisser, flirt more effectively or find out if you are ready to use tampons - you know- things a 10 year-old needs to know. Additionally, these magazines would have pop culture references, including music and television, that I was particularly keen on.

I found Jones' article to present facts that I never have taken into consideration. For example, "The primary benefit to a YA magazine collection is circulation. For the cost of one hardback book a magazine subscription can be purchased" (Jones 99).

Once again, a YA librarian suggests that teenagers should be a part of the selection process when acquiring YA material: "The best source for a list of magazines is teenagers themselves- either through formal or informal surveys, most teenagers know what they want" (Jones 101).

Moral of the articles: Get involved with your community to effectively and efficiently serve it.

Gorman, Michele. 2002. What teens want. School Library Journal 48(8): 42-47.

Jones, Patrick. 1998. Sex, thugs and rock n’roll: Magazines for young adults. In Young adults and public libraries: A handbook of materials and services, eds. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 98-106. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.