Teen Graphic Novels

at Middleton

Public Library

By Erinn BatykeferDec. 6 2011

The Collection

Defining the Collection• SURPRISE! Problems with Koha!– A Koha search returns 343 items when you limit it

to Library: Middleton, Audience: Teens, and Format: Graphic Novels

– BUT…I laid hands on 848 items in the collection in the process of manually gathering circ stats

•Created a sub-collection by neglecting Manga

244 items

Middleton’s Teen Collection: A Microcosm of the Library on

speed• Collection Development policy focuses on popular materials:

– Popularity of the author (patron requests)– Appeal to the general-interest reader– Quality of the writing– Literary merit– Reputation of the publisher

• Philosophy of Teen Services and Building Effective Teen Services documents supplement the broader Collection Development policy. They recommend: – Weeding regularly in order to avoid outdated materials – Creating a Teen Advisory Committee to generate collection suggestions. – “Popular teen books/materials…are as essential to good teen services as research books and educational

programs in that they encourage library use by teens and promote the library as a teen friendly place.”• Meyers, Elaine. "The Coolness Factor: Ten Libraries Listen to Youth." American Libraries, 30.10

(1999): 42-45. – New– High Quality– “Made for them”

•Middleton Public Library Collection Development Policy, Amended June 12, 2006. Available online at http://www.midlibrary.org/library/policies.asp. •Van Dan, Rebecca. “Building Effective Teen Services, Middleton Public Library.”

Collection Development Policies: Weeding

• Materials worn out through use• Ephemeral materials which are

no longer timely.• Materials no longer considered

accurate or factual• Materials which have had little

recent use and are of questionable value– Circ stats!

• Excess copies of a title no longer in demand– Circ stats!

Middleton Public Library Collection Development Policy, Amended June 12, 2006. Available online at http://www.midlibrary.org/library/policies.asp.

Weeded Titles• Damage: Go to Circs. Re-order or toss?

– McKeever, Sean. Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Vol. 1: Super Crush. Direct Ed. Marvel, 2006. Print.

• Poor Circs: Extra Copies– Shan, Darren. Cirque Du Freak: Vol. 1. 1st ed. Yen Press,

2009. Print.• Poor Circs: Too Old

– Gaiman, Neil et al. Death: The High Cost of Living. Vertigo, 1994. Print.

• Poor Circs: Too Young– Jacques, Brian. Redwall: The Graphic Novel. Philomel, 2007.

Print.• Poor Circs: Crap

– Cabot, Meg. The Merlin Prophecy. HarperCollins, 2007. Print.

• Poor Circs: ??– Tamaki, Mariko. Skim. 1st ed. Groundwood Books, 2008.

Print.

Selection

• Goal of the collection: to be dynamic and responsive to current teens’ opinions, both passive (poor circs) and active (requests)

• NoveList Search: Genre – Graphic Novel, Audience – Teen, Pub. Date – 2010-2011 to identify reviews

• Teen Advisory Council recommendations!

Selections• Tie-ins & Read-alikes

– Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Tantalize: Kieren’s Story. Candlewick, 2011. Print.

– Spencer, Nick, and Joe Eisma. Morning Glories Volume 1 TP. Image Comics, 2011. Print.

• Spin-offs– Robinson, James, Geoff Johns, and Richard

Donner. Superman: Mon-El. DC Comics, 2010. Print.

• Issues– Gulledge, Laura Lee. Page by Paige. Amulet

Books, 2011. Print.• Horror for everyone!

– Tsang, Evonne. My Boyfriend Is a Monster 1: I Love Him to Pieces. Graphic Universe, 2011. Print.

Alternatives

• A collection that turns over so quickly and is selected for popularity has no memory!

• The Alternative? Historic Comics