Librarians' Attitudes and Perspectives Regarding Graphic Novels

by Horner, Emily

Historically, graphic novels have held a precarious place in public library collections. In the past, public libraries were envisioned as institutions for education and moral improvement, and library materials were required to prove their quality; arguments have been made against genre fiction, and even against fiction in general. As public libraries have shifted their focus to become more driven by user demand, genre fiction and graphic novels have gained increasing amounts of respect and visibility within library settings. By means of qualitative interviews with local public librarians, this study seeks to examine how librarians view the role of graphic novels in libraries. The interviewed librarians have largely positive views on graphic novels, and believe that they can serve as an important motivator for reluctant readers.