I hate to admit it, but graphic novels can be a problem.

The librarians of Marshall, Missouri, know the problem too well. “Does this community want our public library to continue to use tax dollars to purchase pornography?” Marshall resident Louise Mills asked the city council in October of 2006. She was referring to two award-winning graphic novels: Blankets, Craig Thompson’s tale of first love and sexual awakening, and Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Alison Bechdel’s memories of (among other things) her father’s homosexuality and her own. The library pulled the books from its shelves and didn’t return them until March of 2007. The controversy led the library’s board of directors to create a new set of standards for selecting books.

More scary was the Gordon Lee arrest. Lee’s a comics retailer in Rome, Georgia. For Halloween 2004, Lee didn’t give out candy; he gave out comic books. Unfortunately, he accidentally gave one boy a copy of Alternative Comics #2. The issue included a story featuring Pablo Picasso in the nude. Lee tried to apologize, but the cops charged him with distributing obscene material to a minor. The resulting controversy and trials slogged on until April 2008, when Judge Larry Salmon agreed to dismiss the case.

How can you avoid problems like these, especially if you’re not a deep-dyed expert in all things comics?

Librarians experienced in these things suggest treating graphic novels like any other books. “One of the biggest ways that librarians can reduce the problems is to have graphic novels in the appropriate areas, by age,” says Nick Smith of southern California’s Pasadena Public Library. Los Angeles County Librarian Margaret Donnellan Todd explains, “The graphic novels in the children's collection are evaluated for the collection using our criteria for our children's materials. Young adult graphic novels are catalogued and shelved in the sections identified as Teen or Young Teen. These books are evaluated to meet our criteria for those age groups. Adult graphic novels are catalogued in our adult collection and meet our collection criteria for the adult collection.”

“You don't have to have read every book that comes into your collection,” Nick Smith adds, “but you should have general guidelines on why you purchase things, and what sources you use to learn about them.” ForeWord reviews graphic novels, for instance, and so does Library Journal. Diamond Comics Distributors, which dominates the delivery of comics to shops, has a number of resources for librarians. Bill Schanes, Diamond’s vice president of purchasing, recommends the Bookshelf section of Diamond’s website. In particular, check out Bookshelf’s Graphic Novels for Your Library page.

Some of the best sources of information are your local comics retailers. A few, like Nancy McCann of southern California’s Comics Unlimited, have even been librarians themselves. You can find the nearest retailers by calling the Comic Shop Locator Service (CSLS) at 888-COMIC BOOK (888-266-4226), visiting the CSLS web page, or using the master list of comic book stores.
 
If you can’t find a local shop that suits you, worry not. The Comic Book Industry Alliance, a group of retailers and other comics professionals, has a number of members willing to advise librarians nearby or far away. Among them:

• Rick Lowell of Maine’s Casablanca Comics: comics@casablancacomics.com or 207-780-1676.
• Gail Burt of southern California’s Metropolis Comics: metrohero@gmail.com or 562-263-0277.
• Mick Galuski of Toy Soldier Games and Comics in Amesbury, Massachusetts: galuski@gmail.com or 978-388-2512.

In addition, says Gary Dills of Virginia’s Phoenix Comics, “We are currently working with our local librarians to build a resource for reviews and content warnings for teachers and librarians. This site will feature reviews by librarians, teachers, and consumers with ways that the material has been used in the classroom and how often they are checked out of the library.”

To play it as safe as possible, some librarians buy their graphic novels directly from the stores. Phil Boyle of Florida’s Coliseum of Comics retail chain says, “We offered libraries the option to return any book before they put it on the floor if they felt it was not something they were comfortable with. We had many take us up on the offer and we exchanged the books for items that were appropriate.”

So relax. You don’t have to face an angry city council meeting or wake up to find a warrant for your arrest.
 
And a good thing, too. In the words of Joan Kramer, coordinating field librarian for the Los Angeles Unified School District, “All I can tell you is, graphic novels are here to stay.”

Posted by: David Seidman