Young Adult Library Services Association - Great Graphic Novels for Teens

The last post highlighted the Texas Library Association and its Young Adult Round Table's Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List. This post takes things to a national level with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The mission of YALSA is to "is to advocate, promote and strengthen library service to teens, ages 12-18, as part of the continuum of total library services, and to support those who provide library service to this population."

One way that YALSA fulfills its mission is by selecting titles for its Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. Like the Texas Maverick Committee, YALSA solicits nominations for graphic novel and Manga titles from their Web site. The lists have highlighted anywhere from 40-70+ titles. Unlike the Maverick Committee, YALSA has also compiled a list of Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens for 2010 and for previous years.

Judging from the few lists of recommended graphic novels (TLA since 2010 and ALA since 2007), you may think that graphic novels, Manga, and comics in libraries is a relatively recent phenomenon. Actually, comics have been in libraries for decades, but their popularity has sky-rocketed within last decade, and especially within the last few years. They are now some of the most circulating items in many libraries. They have found a secure home on the shelves in many libraries and in the hands of many library patrons. You can help establish them in more libraries by nominating a title to YALSA, but even more so by donating or purchasing them for or recommending them to your local library.

You may have noticed that these lists are teen specific. Interestingly, adults in their 20s and 30s are the most common readers of comics and graphic novels. Hopefully soon, we will see recommended lists for adults (and pre-teens) from the TLA and the ALA.

Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List

I thought that I would begin this blog with a post about Texas libraries and comics since I am from the Lone Star State. I recognize that many of you are not from the former territory of two European empires, former territory of Mexico, former independent republic, former state of the C.S.A., and the 28th state of the U.S.A., and I recognize that Texans like to talk about all things Texas. I especially understand that Texas pride can get quite annoying after about two seconds. I promise that this blog will not do that for the most part. I just ask that you bear with me on this first proud post.

The Texas Library Association (TLA) includes a round table called the Young Adult Round Table (YART) whose purpose is to "promote and to improve library services for young adults in Texas." One way that YART accomplishes this purpose is through their Maverick Graphic Novels Committee. The Maverick Committee compiles a Graphic Novels Reading List, selected from solicited recommendations. "The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current books ... [and] is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum." The new committee is chaired by a librarian at the Denton (TX) Public Library and a good friend, WyLaina Hildreth. She is a fellow traveler in all things comics and all things libraries. 2010 marked the first year of their annual reading list.

If you would like to sugguest a title for the Maverick Committee to review for 2011, click here.