ALA’s Graphic Novel and Comics Round Table Talk the Year to Come

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The Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table (GNCRT) is a collaborative organization dedicated to supporting library staff in all aspects of engaging with graphic novels and comics, including collection development, programming, and advocacy. GNCRT offers support to all types of libraries serving all types of users, whether the library is just beginning to build a collection, growing it, or finding new ways to promote the collection’s use and improve its visibility.

The round table offers the following services to librarains: 

  • Advocate for and promote comics and graphic novels
  • Develop programming and create Pop-Up libraries at comic conventions and library conferences
  • Administer the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries
  • Provide networking opportunities for library staff and educators involved with graphic novels and comics
  • Curate and create resources for collection development, best practices, and programming
  • Create outreach opportunities to grow membership and allow more access to our resources
  • Discuss and advocate for issues around cataloging and metadata
  • And more!

Each year, the board members for the GNCRT are elected by fellow members. Diamond BookShelf spoke with select 2021 Board Members about the upcoming year, including Elizabeth Brown, Anna DeLeon, Soline Holmes, Shanna Hollich, and ALA Staff Liason Christina Coleman.

“I’m so grateful to our outgoing team and equally as excited to work with new folks,” said President-Elect Monica Barrette. “There will be lots of adjustments as we navigate the new normal, but GNCRT continues to be strong advocates for comics and graphic novels. We hope to strengthen our partnerships both within ALA and with stakeholders, promote new voices, and grow the great work we’ve started in the short existence of this RT.”

Art from BABYTEETH VOLUME 4, published by AfterShock Comics

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ON THE HISTORY OF THE GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS ROUND TABLE? 

CHRISTINA COLEMAN: The GNCRT was officially approved by the ALA Council at ALA Annual 2018 and opened for membership in September of 2018. Before that library workers working with comics organized within ALA in what is known as a Member Interest Group (this is a very loose form of organizing as MIGs have no official roster of membership and no budgetary support). The Graphic Novels & Comics MIG formed in January 2011 to provide a space within ALA for library staff across all disciplines working with comics and graphic novels to network and share ideas. The MIG quickly expanded to include outreach projects, professional development sessions, organizing programming for ALA conferences, and developing relationships within the comics industry. They were one of ALAs longest running and most active MIGs.

By the time the Graphic Novel Member Interest Group petitioned ALA leadership to become an official Round Table it had grown to facilitate entire days of professional programming for library staff and educators who attend comic conventions across the country, collaborate with comics publishers and other industry leaders to craft unique and dynamic graphic novel programming at ALA Annual conferences, host booths and pop-up library experiences at comic conventions, administer and jury the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries, and more. ALA doesn’t add new round tables lightly and GNCRT’s successful petition was won through the hard work and information gathering of it’s organizing committee.

HOW HAS THE ROUND TABLE GROWN SINCE ITS CONCEPTION?

COLEMAN: When the GNCRT opened for members in September 2018 they immediately had close to 200 members and they have consistently grown since then, even through the pandemic – now they are nearly 1,100 members strong. The GNCRT has taken the core work of the original MIG – professional development, raising visibility, and creating opportunities – and expanded what that looks like. During the pandemic they launched a range of virtual programming that featured peer-to-peer learning, creator interviews, outreach to comic shops and more. They also introduced two new reading lists – the Best Graphic Novels for Adults list and the Best Graphic Novels for Children list – that provide professional resources for collection development that didn’t exist previously. They’ve reached out and partnered with other organizations including the Black Caucus of the American Library Association with whom they are working on an ongoing series of lists to raise the visibility of Black creators and Black stories.

The GNCRT members have been pushing the ideas and ways they have to connect with each other, with their communities and with the comics industry. Like all of the American Library Association – the members are the heart and the engine that get things done. My role is to listen and help them build the ideas they have however I can and I am constantly awed by the creativity and ambition that they bring to their work. Given that the GNCRT is really only going on four years old the things they’ve accomplished is amazing. The members have been so great at building on the ideas of their colleagues and I have no doubt that the new incoming GNCRT leaders will do the same. They really level up every year.

Art from FRIDAY, published by Image Comics

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO RUN FOR A POSITION WITH THE GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS ROUND TABLE?

ELIZABETH BROWN: I was attending one of the Board Meetings and Matthew mentioned that an objective which hadn’t been undertaken yet was developing a mentorship program for student members of the Round Table, who make up about a quarter of our membership. Given that I am a student member, I offered to help get the project underway. I worked with Matthew and Moni to develop a proposal which we presented to the previous board in March 2021. From that process, I thought that it would help the project proceed if I ran for the Member-at-large position.

ANNA DeLEON: I attended a conference regarding Leadership in Libraries and was inspired to run for a position within the ALA. Initially I was unsure what would align best with my interests, but once I found GNCRT I knew that’s where I wanted to be. I struggle with reading consistently, and whenever I find myself in a reading slump graphic novels are always there to pull me out. I believe graphic novels are a wonderful way to introduce reluctant readers to the habit of reading and want to bring more awareness to the diversity of them.

SOLINE HOLMES: I decided to run for a Member at Large position with the GNCRT because I am passionate about graphic novels and want to be more connected to the GN and comics community.  Over the past several years, I presented at local and national conferences about graphic novels.  It was wonderful getting to meet fellow aficionados, and I want to reach an even larger group of people and inspire new graphic novels/comics readers.  Will Eisner once said that “The reading of the comic book is an act of both aesthetic perception and intellectual pursuit,” and I just love that quote.  As a GNCRT board member, I want to spread the message that comics and graphic novels can, of course, be read for fun, but they can also provide information and act as informational texts.  (They are being used to teach in medical and business schools, and, of course, during the pandemic, many resources provided safety information such as how to wear a mask or wash hands through comics or graphic novel formats.)  Our society is becoming more and more visual and reading comics and graphic novels helps to build visual literacy.  

SHANNA HOLLICH: I’m a long-time member of ALA and have volunteered in different capacities and different levels of the organization for several years. When the GNCRT was founded, I gravitated to it immediately – it is one of the most welcoming and accessible areas in all of ALA, filled with some of the smartest, most dedicated, and most amazing people I’ve ever met. I jumped at the chance to be able to work alongside some incredible folks to help libraries build their graphic novel and comics collections and spread the good word of visual literacy.

Art from A DIFFICULT THING, published by Ablaze

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT HAVE GRAPHIC NOVELS HAD IN YOUR LIBRARY/COMMUNITY?

BROWN: I’m very fortunate to have grown up with a library that was an early adopter of comics collections. It’s because I could read manga and graphic novels for free that I am the fan I am today. I find myself doing readers advisory for kids and adults whenever I’m on the reference desk, so I am optimistic for how comics readership is growing.

DeLEON: I think people are beginning to realize that graphic novels are more than comic books and juvenile stories (though those are wonderful to read). There are graphic novels that now cover an array of topics from history to politics to religion. They make intimidating topics easier to understand and allow readers to be introduced to a topic without feeling overwhelmed.

HOLMES: I am an elementary school librarian, and I can’t keep graphic novels on the shelves.  I often have to buy extra copies because my students want to read them together in sort of self-created book clubs.  I have a lot of students who will check out a novel or nonfiction book at the same time as checking out a graphic novel, so the graphic novels really get my students to read more.  I know that this is not an anomaly, and there have been studies that have shown overall circulations for individual libraries have increased with the introduction of graphic novels into the libraries.  I would love for more educators (and parents, too!) to understand the multiple benefits of graphic novels and comics.  For example, they are multimodal (text plus images) so the process that the brain goes through to read them is different from reading a prose book and requires more imagination and creativity on the part of readers.  Readers have to use their imaginations to fill in what happens in the gutter between panels.  To me, this is a priceless benefit of the format.  

HOLLICH: I am transitioning this summer back to public librarianship, and I’m very excited to learn about the impact and success my new library has had already in building a graphic novel collection across their adult, teen, and children’s libraries. In my most recent role as an academic library director, I had the opportunity to build the college’s first graphic novel and comics collection and to introduce comics into the college curriculum. It was really great to see students blossom in the classroom through the use of comics to explore opaque or difficult topics such as classic literature, trauma studies, and medical issues. I was also in the process of planning the college’s first pop culture convention, which sadly was put on permanent hiatus due to Covid – I’m really looking forward to seeing if we can bring some of that programming to the public community in my new role.

Art from ART OF GOOSEBUMPS, published by Dynamite

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR POSITION TO FURTHER THE AWARENESS OF GRAPHIC NOVELS WITHIN LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE?

BROWN: I am eager to build scaffolded support of comics programming. I’m ready to move beyond the “why you should read comics” basics and delve into using comics as a framework for deeper conversations- in schools, universities, and in the public sphere. There are tons of great comics from diverse creators being published about all kinds of topics- let’s get them out there, into readers’ hands, and start a conversation!

DeLEON: I hope my position and the GNCRT in general can help libraries and communities nationwide understand that graphic novels are just as important and legitimate as traditional books. I feel there can be a stigma around reading graphic novels and hope to raise awareness that they can be just as informational or educational, as well as a pleasure to read.

HOLMES:  For the past several years, my research partner and I have presented at local and national conferences about the multiple benefits of graphic novels.  Often, after a presentation, we had adult attendees say that they didn’t like graphic novels or hadn’t been familiar with the format but now want to try graphic novels or get some of the recommended titles for their library and promote them to their students.  I still hear (from parents and teachers) that graphic novels aren’t “real reading,” and this is very disturbing.  While I am hearing this bias against graphic novels less and less, I want to draw awareness to the numerous benefits of comics and graphic novels.  While they are a different format, they are still reading and can be so beneficial especially in the classroom where students might be on different reading levels or where there might be language barriers.  I hope that through my position on the GNCRT Board, I will be able to make more people aware not only of these benefits of graphic novels and comics but of resources to find graphic novels to read for pleasure and for educational purposes.  I especially want to promote BIPOC graphic novels and make sure that libraries nationwide know about diverse GN titles.       

HOLLICH: Those of us who are so steeped in comics and graphic novels often forget this, but there is still quite a bit of stigma out there – that comics are only for kids, or that smart people don’t read them, or that they’re not “worthy” or “literary” enough to count as “real” reading, and so on. I live and work in a rural part of the United States, and I’m especially excited about the opportunity to use graphic novels to reach historically underserved parts of the population. How can we use graphic medicine to increase awareness of science and medicine for folks who can’t afford health insurance or proper medical care, or who maybe don’t trust doctors or don’t know how to find reliable medical information online? How can we use visual literacy to bridge the gap for people learning new languages? How can we use graphic novels to make reading fun again, to provide folks a much-needed escape from the often terrible realities of life right now? These are the questions I’m really interested in working on and exploring.

Art from TAKING TURNS: STORIES FROM HIV/AIDS CARE UNIT 371, published by Graphic Mundi

WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE YEAR AHEAD?

BROWN: Getting the Mentorship Exploratory Committee off the ground is a major goal for me. I’m also looking forward to taking on committee work which will provide opportunities for getting our membership together (virtual or in person) so that we can continue to exchange ideas and build our comics librarianship practice.

DeLEON: My main goal is to observe and learn how to be the best advocate for GNCRT and graphic novels as a whole. This is my first Board I’ve been a part of, so I hope that I can not only meet but exceed the expectations given to me.

HOLMES: This past year, the GNCRT partnered with the BCALA and produced a Black Lives Matter Reading List.  The GNCRT also has Social Justice and Comics Reading Lists.   I want to help promote these lists and resources and continue to add to them.  I would also love to form partnerships with other divisions and affiliates of ALA to produce similar lists and resources for librarians and readers.  The GNCRT has also offered some amazing, inspiring webinars, and I am so excited to be a part of planning these.  I also want to encourage more people to attend them which will hopefully lead to building the GNCRT membership.

HOLLICH: My biggest goal is to help folks figure out how they can get more involved in GNCRT and in ALA writ large and how they can find their place in one of the country’s largest professional organizations. What can GNCRT do for you? Is it programming ideas, book lists, advocacy toolkits, cataloging standards, networking and mentorship, or something else? I hope folks will reach out and let us know! We’re a true member organization – we’re nothing without our members, and we’re here to serve you the best ways we can.

Art from THE TEA DRAGON TAPESTRY, published by Oni Press

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVEL? OR WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

BROWN: Currently reading: Orcs! by Christine Larsen (KaBOOM!), Blue Flag by KAITO (VIZ Signature), Ironheart by Eve Ewing & Kevin Libranda (Marvel), and American Cult edited by Robyn Chapman (Silver Sprocket).

DeLEON: It is SO hard to pick one graphic novel that is my favorite, I don’t think there is an ultimate favorite. At this moment though, I’d have to say Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer. Either that or the Tea Dragon Series by Kay O’Neill. As for what I’m reading now, I’m currently in between books and am planning a trip to my local bookstore this week to refresh my collection!

HOLMES: Ack, this is such a hard question.  I have so many favorites.  So, I will say that my favorite fiction graphic novel is Cici’s Journal by Joris Chamblain and Aurelie Neyret.  It is about a girl who wants to be a novelist, so she keeps a journal and “people watches.”  I love that it includes ideas and writing prompts for budding writers.  (For young readers, I also love any graphic novel by TOON books.)  I really love nonfiction graphic novels and biographies because I always learn so much.  There are so many titles available now.  For example, Maker Comics has a new series of DIY guides, and I feel like I could now repair my own car after reading Fix a Car by Chris Schweizer.  But, if I have to narrow it down, my favorite nonfiction graphic novel is The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown.  He puts so much research into all of his work, and I still get tears in my eyes thinking about Unwanted.  It provided this window into another world and the lives of others, really putting me in their shoes.  I just got back from the library so am currently reading Muhammad Ali, Kinshasa 1974 by Jean-David Morvan, Rafael Ortiz, and Abbas.  I love that it includes primary sources (another one of my passions!) along with illustrations.  

HOLLICH: It’s hard to choose just one favorite! A solid favorite for me is Daytripper by Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon. And I’m about to start finally reading The X-Files Season 10, which I’m very excited about.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

ELIZABETH BROWN is serving as a Member-at-Large for the GNCRT and previously served on the Eisner Grants committee. She is a support staff member for the Baltimore County Public Libraries and an MLIS student at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

ANNA DeLEON lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and five cats! She currently works at the Theosophical Society as an Assistant Librarian. When she’s not reading, she is either writing, playing video games, or watching some type of true crime. 

SOLINE HOLMES is a school librarian in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she also serves on the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award committee.  She is currently the Chair of the New Orleans Information Literacy Collective.  Soline has given presentations on graphic novels at local and national conferences (including ALSC’s 2021 Celebration of Illustration), co-authored an article about Graphic Novels as Informational Texts for Children and Libraries, and was interviewed for “Book Links” about how to best use graphic novels in the classroom. 

SHANNA HOLLICH is currently the Library Director at the Guthrie Memorial Library in Hanover, PA. They are a career librarian with experience working in K-12, academic, federal, and public libraries. Their current work largely focuses on issues of copyright, open education, scholarly communications, and disability justice.

Ashley Kronsberg
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