The RIGHT Way to Organize Graphic Novels

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by Adam Fisher

Being the avid graphic novel and comic book reader that I am, anytime I head into a new library or bookstore, I inevitably end up in their graphic novels section. Not only am I interested to see what they have, but also how they organize their collection. It almost always differs from place to place. I ask myself, “What is the best way to organize graphic novels? Why can no one seem to agree on a standard for this?” Fiction (Fic) titles are organized first alphabetically by author’s last name, then alphabetically by title. Non-fiction (NF) is organized by subject, which is given a Dewey decimal number, then alphabetically by the author’s last name. However, you will find graphic novels organized in many different ways.

No matter where it is, graphic novels are immediately divided by age group– typically children/teen/adult. This is based on content and focus. Most adults probably won’t read GERONIMO STILTON, just as children shouldn’t read SAGA or MONSTRESS (all three are worthy of your time and attention.) However, this is where the similarities usually end. Let’s cover some pros and cons of various ways to organize your graphic novels collection; then, let’s uncover how to discover what will be best for your library’s setup and community.

1. The Dewey decimal system would tell you that all graphic novels (GN) go in 741.5. While some libraries continue to place all–or some– of their GN in NF, most have opted to remove them and place them like a genre section due to the popularity of the media type. Superheroes and stories from GN are sweeping streaming platforms as well as the bookshelves. Netflix’s THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Amazon Prime’s THE BOYS, AMC’s FEAR THE WALKING DEAD… all of these shows come from the world of comics.

2. Cataloging alphabetically by author’s last name has been the standard for fiction since the library began. Organizing your GN this way makes it very easy for us library workers, since cataloging either Fic or NF relies on knowing this. Because our public catalogs also express location this way, materials are easy to find for those patrons who know how to use the library. However, if you are an avid comic reader, organization this way is difficult to keep with continuity, even on one title (ex: When BATMAN switches authors from Scott Snyder to Tom King, future releases will now go on the shelf before their predecessors, as King comes before Snyder).  

3. Perhaps organizing your GN by title would work better for your collection. Rationale would suggest that if you kept all of the same titled books together, they’d be easy for both librarians and patrons to find. This is NOT the case. Which comes first on the shelf: JUSTICE LEAGUE Vol 1 or JUSTICE LEAGUE Vol 1? One of those was released in 2013 as part of “DC’s New 52,” and the other was released in 2017 as part of “DC Rebirth.” (There’s even another JL Vol 1 that was released in late 2018!) Organization by title causes confusion for both librarians and patrons as to what they are searching for and/or what comes next in the reading order. 

4. What about organizing by the main character? For patrons looking for X-MEN, it would be great to be able to go to “X” and find X-MEN, UNCANNY X-MEN, ASTONISHING X-MEN, and other X-MEN titles. Where to start, though? Are we going to ask patrons to look at release dates to be able to read stories in order? When GN are cataloged, are they being done in such a way that “library hold lists” will be generated easily enough to find books without an author’s last name taking precedence?

5. My opinions are probably leading you to believe that I am going to recommend all GN be organized chronologically by release date. As someone who reads 250-300+ graphic novels a year, this would be ideal for me (and is how I organize my home collection), but it is a nightmare for librarians and shelvers. Our industry has only recently progressed to a point where GN are being seen as more than “just comic books.” Keeping the shelves in chronological order is very tedious and usually will require more time than you would expect. To fully optimize it, you’d need at least one staff member who is fully immersed in the realm of GN.

At my library, my particular branch organizes our teen GN by publisher (Marvel, then DC, then all others mixed together), then by character (i.e. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, GHOST SPIDER, SPIDER-WOMAN, and MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN, etc., all go under “Spider-Man”), then chronologically by release date and character. This keeps them in the order with which (in my opinion) they should be read. All of this is because I maintain the appearance of the collection, and I do so because I have pride in my knowledge of those fandoms.

Here’s an example of how they would go on my shelves:

  1. AVENGERS VOL 1: AVENGERS WORLD (2013), then the following Volumes
  2. ALL-NEW ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS VOL 1: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016), then following Volumes
  3. AVENGERS UNLEASHED VOL 1: KANG WAR ONE (2017), then following Volumes
  4. AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER (2018)…. And you get the idea.

Would I recommend this level of insanity for you? No way. It’s merely my compulsion and drive to make things as easy for patrons as I would like them done for me.

Where does this leave us?

Which way is the right way?

The answer is back where we started: there is no “right way” to do it. What will work best for your library or bookstore is whichever way you choose. However, your organization will affect how your staff and patrons interact with the collection. 

Here are some tips and tricks to optimize your GN collection:

– How much space do you have for a GN display? With enough space, you could make a section to highlight staff picks, new releases, or recently returned items. Staff picks can be especially helpful because it gives your patrons the ability to ask questions about titles that have been read by you.

– Do you find that your collection seems to go out coinciding with movie or show releases? You may want to have a staff member keep current on “comic book inspired” releases. I have found that when a new Marvel movie comes out, the titles featuring the characters from the film get checked out more often. You might even want to make a small display of the “Seeing the movie? Read the book” variety.

– Do you have someone on staff who reads A LOT of GN? Or perhaps a patron you see in that section quite often? Check with them about upcoming releases, popular trends, and even if there is buzz on a certain topic or character. More than likely, they are already up to date with their knowledge, being a fan, and willing to speak on the topic at length.

– How often are your GN collections (kids, teens, and adults) being used? If your children’s GN have a lot of circulation, perhaps some of the patrons are ready to be introduced to titles in the teen GN that would be interesting to them. OR, if you find your adult collection getting attention, maybe they are parents who can share their love of GN with their kids.

– The GN media type is excellent for stories of diversity and inclusion. Titles like LAURA DEEN KEEPS BREAKING UP WITH ME, MOONCAKES, LUMBERJANES, or BINGO LOVE cover not only racially diverse characters but also LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. With June being Pride Month, a display of these titles are almost guaranteed to move. Many of them get nominated for Eisners or sit for long periods of time on Bestsellers lists.

– Don’t be afraid to take risks with your collection and displays. Much like we put focus on new or local authors to get attention for their publications, we can do the same for graphic novels. Too long have they been seen as lesser stories because of their format. If you can look at the artwork of Alex Ross and not be in awe of the visual mastery, or read a story written by Charles Soule (who writes both GN and NYT Bestselling Novels) and not be drawn into the story just as much as a popular fiction novel, I’d be shocked.

Adam Fisher
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