Developing and Promoting Graphic Novel Collections

Demographic projections show that the teenage population in the U.S. will reach an all-time high during this decade. Edited by Joel Shoemaker, a former President of the Young Adult Services Association (YALSA), this groundbreaking series is designed to ensure that public and school librarians have the tools they need to develop and adapt their collections, services, and programs to meet the diverse--and ever-changing--needs of young adults. Yesterday's comic book has evolved into today's graphic novel. Richer storylines and artwork can entice "reluctant readers" into the reading habit. Here is a comprehensive overview of graphic novels and their use as reader development tools. Miller explores the evolution, categories, and genres of graphic novels; he then addresses the nitty-gritty details of collection development, acquisition, cataloging, and maintenance for this unique format. A special section shows how to promote graphic novels (including display and programming Ideas). Especially valuable is a carefully crafted annotated list of core titles. This exciting new addition to the teens@thelibrary series is the perfect guide for using one of today's most popular genres to draw teens into the library.