Outreach

Comic Con & Graphic Novels: Using Pop Culture for Library Outreach

At the beginning of February, I took the weekend off to attend the New Orleans Comic Con with my boyfriend. I went expecting only to have a fun-filled weekend discovering new artists and fulfilling our fanboy dreams; I never expected to learn about a unique idea for library outreach. Wandering around on the first day, I stumbled upon a booth for the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) where they had on display different varieties of promotional items aimed at the various ages of those in attendance at the convention - kids, teens and adults. There were brochures, magnets, small crafts, and comic books. The librarians manning the booth were not only there to explain the services available at the library, but also to answer reference questions utilizing tablets. On the first day of the convention alone, they had received over 75 reference questions, the tablets allowing them to access the catalog to look up material availability and even place inter-library loan requests. By using the venue of Comic Con as a means of reaching out to the convention community, they were reaching out not only to locals who would be able to come into the library, but also out of town visitors who would hopefully become curious about what their home library can offer them.

Comic Cons can draw hundreds of people all interested in various aspects of popular culture from film and television shows, to graphic novels and anime. While a lot of people that attend conventions are likely to be regular patrons of their local libraries, it is possible that many in attendance are not regular users and/or are not aware that many libraries nowadays offer vast graphic novel, manga and anime titles in their collections. It is also a great place for librarians to learn current and popular trends in pop culture to help in the purchasing decisions.

Community Outreach

Library outreach is “. . . often used to describe library services for those who are infrequent users or nonusers” (Orange & Osborne, 2004). For libraries to develop outreach programs, they must determine “. . . which segments of the community are unserved or underserved and how library services could benefit them” (Meadows, 2004). For those in the community who “. . . don’t see the library as indispensable to their daily lives. . .” one way to reach them is through “enhancing your library’s popular culture collections and pop-related programs is one way to change that perception . . .” (Brookhover& Burns, 2008). Popular culture is embraced by children, teens and adults making it ideal means of outreach as long as the focus is on “. . . popular culture as it is embraced by your community, both by current patrons and potential patrons” (Brookhover & Burns, 2008). For example, with the success of the film Marvel’s The Avengers and the numerous upcoming films being released by that studio - including the sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron - setting up displays that showcase the related graphic novel titles in the library’s collections is a great way of utilizing that popularity to reach out to the community.

An alternative for librarians that cannot attend a convention or do not have one in their area, is for libraries to put on their own. This type of programming can help draw people physically into the library, and is usually put on with support from their Friends of the Library and local comic book shops, as is the case in Boise and Cincinnati. There are various activities, such as panels, make your own comic books, and costume contests, activities which would be found at traditional Cons and that within a smaller environment, allows for more interaction with the library and staff. This would be a great outreach program for a public library to put on in order to encourage more youth readers to come into the library and discover what the library can offer in terms of material and resources; it can also be a great way for the library to get the community involved and invested in the library by encouraging socialization within the library – associating the library as a fun place to be and not only a place for quiet reading.

In addition to a booth on the main floor of the convention, the NOPL librarians also held two different panels, “Anime/Manga 101” and “Getting Graphic in Library” about how graphic novels, anime, and manga have affected programming and acquisition trends in their own library. I attended the “Getting Graphic in Library” panel which explored various topics about building a graphic novel collection, using graphic novels to reach reluctant readers, distinguishing age appropriateness and using programming related to pop culture or cosplay in order to draw in patrons, specifically youth patrons. Also discussed were ways the library could outreach to local schools – partnering with teachers and ordering graphic novels (if possible) that coincided with the curriculum; there are many graphic novel titles that are renditions of classic literature. The panel was a great way to connect not only with the general public, but also with other librarians - creating a community that helps them find and share ideas to use pop culture to engage their own communities.

Partner Outreach

Around the country, librarians are using regional comic cons as a means of connecting with other librarians, particularly through panel presentations. At Comic-Con 2013 [in San Diego], Publishers Weekly held a panel, “What’s next for graphic novels in libraries” that “. . .surveyed the upbeat current marketplace as well as possible obstacles to growth” (Reid, July 23, 2013). This panel was mainly geared towards librarians, discussing using budgets to build a graphic novel collection as well as digital lending options that libraries can use, as an alternative to a physical collection, to increase graphic novel circulation. Graphic novels can be expensive and, after being circulated for a time, there is a higher risk of physical books falling apart and popular titles being stolen. A digital graphic novel collection can offer a larger selection of titles to more people – especially since most titles have multiple volumes that will take up shelf space. Being able to offer a wide variety of titles could be a way of encouraging reluctant readers to utilize the library more frequently.
Another issue discussed at the panel was the lack of adult collections, “. . . teen librarians get it but adult librarians still think graphic novels are for teens and kids” (Reid, July 23, 2013). While using graphic novels is a great way to reach teens and bring them into the library, they can also be useful for adults, particularly those who struggle with literacy issues and those who are learning to speak English as a second language. At the New York Comic Con, local librarians hosted a panel called “Comics and the Common Core: The Case to Include Comics in the Curriculum” drawing a correlation between graphic novels and the Common Core State Standards, “. . . including visual and cultural literacy, and offered examples of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) titles” (Staino, October 15, 2013). The presentation also referenced a study from the University of Oklahoma which showed that participants that read from a graphic novel “. . . were better able to recognize direct quotes than those who read the traditional textbook” (Price, January 25, 2013).

A school library, or a public library, could partner with teachers and schools; by ordering graphic novels that reflect the class curriculum, students would be able to read a different medium than their textbooks. The stylized facial expressions of characters as well as an image context to the words, graphic novels can help students grasp the concepts they are being taught in the classroom in an extremely visual and more palatable way. The library can also set up displays showcasing the graphic novels that correlate with the school curriculum. For example, an English teacher could use a graphic novel rendition of Shakespeare along with the traditional text to help the students grasp the context and meaning of the language.

Final Thoughts

Investing in building a pop culture collection is not only a way of drawing in patrons, but additionally, by allowing patrons (particularly the youth in the community) “. . . a stake in the services, programs, and collections created for them, you generate goodwill, gain credibility, and create a standing focus group on issues of concern to adolescents” (Brookhover & Burns, 2008). While building a collection comes with certain problems, such as proving there will be an audience, deciding how to catalog them, and the fact that graphic novels can be expensive and sometimes go out of print quickly, the benefits of having them in the library will be worth the effort – graphic novels are among the highest circulated items a library can have in their collection.
-Kathleen Headden

References

Brookhover, S. & Burns, E. (2008). Pop Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With
Your Whole Community [Google Books version]. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=BTV_C5zO8j0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=pop+goes+the+library&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SN8jU_vmBufo2gXU7oG4BA&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=pop%20goes%20the%20library&f=false

Meadows, J. (2004). Services outside Library Walls. In R. Osborne (Ed.), From Outreach to
Equity: Innovative Models of Library Policy and Practice (pp. 1-6) [Google Books version]. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. Retrieved from
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZpQ10QkBl6gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=library+outreach&hl=en&sa=X&ei=iZUjU6GxKoSs2wXgs4GABQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=library%20outreach&f=false
Orange, S. M. & Osborne, R. (2004). Introduction. In R. Osborne (Ed.), From Outreach to
Equity: Innovative Models of Library Policy and Practice (pp. xi-xvii) [Google Books version]. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=ZpQ10QkBl6gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=library+outreach&hl=en&sa=X&ei=iZUjU6GxKoSs2wXgs4GABQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=library%20outreach&f=false

Price, M. (2013, January 25). OU study shows graphic novel readers retain more information
versus traditional textbook users: OU professor Jeremy Short to host exhibit on graphic novel advantages at TED x OU. NewsOK. Retrieved from http://newsok.com/ou-study-shows-graphic-novel-readers-retain-more-information-versus-traditional-textbook-users/article/3748784?custom_click=headlines_widget

Reid, C. (2013, July 23). PW at Comic-Con: What’s Next for Graphic Novels in Libraries.
Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/58406-pw-at-comic-con-what-s-next-for-graphic-novels-in-libraries.html

Staino, R. (2013, October 15). Librarians Represent at New York Comic Con. School Library
Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2013/10/events/librarians-represent-at-new-york-comic-con-2013/

35 comments:

  1. What a great idea, to set up library booths and panels at conventions like Comic Con! My local public library system has a booth at the farmer's market each week, but it hasn't had much success, because they only bring pamphlets along advertising some of the special programming. I think if they would bring some technology along (especially considering the fact that the farmer's market is held in a parking lot in range of one branch's wifi, haha) and set up the booth for interactive activities it would be a much better tool for bringing people into the library.

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    1. I agree - one of the librarians I spoke with said this was the first year they've brought tablets along to Comic Con and it ended up being a great help because they were able to interact and assist more people in a more in-depth way.
      -Kathleen

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  2. Considering I used to be Outreach Coordinator at an art museum I know how important outreach is for an institution. It's a lot like public relations in that you need to constantly network and reach out to people.

    I agree with Lindsey when I say what a great idea it is for libraries to partner with conventions such as Comic Con in order to reach a bigger audience. I think it shows a younger generation who think libraries are old, stuffy places just how hip they can really be by showing that they offer graphic novels, comics, anime, etc.

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    1. I agree it can be a great way to reach out to a younger generation, and also to an older audience that also enjoys graphic novels, etc. and show them that the library is a fantastic resource for finding those type of materials; especially since checking them out from a library would be a lot cheaper because graphic novel trades can run around $20 apiece.
      -Kathleen

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    2. Thank you for noting that its not necessarily the "younger generation" that spends time at a Con. Every con I've been to has been populated largely by the 25-45 demographic. Once I learned that I could get my manga through ILL I haven't bought nearly as much and it has saved me a pretty penny.

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  3. This is so fascinating! The St. Louis Comic Con is this weekend - I wonder if my library system has a table? I love the idea of graphic novels as e-books. My husband uses his iPad specifically for downloading graphic novels. In fact, I've never seen him with an actual graphic novel in his hand! Showing customers that yes, graphic novels can also be for big kids is so important. Think about how many adults might rekindle their love of books if they knew this was an option for them!

    Outreach is the best part of my job. I've never been to Comic Con (though I will mention this to my YS manager!) but I have been to lots of other neat places to spread the good word of the library.

    Thanks for sharing. Neat stuff!

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    1. Hi class,

      First, I have to say that I am giving up going to the St Louis Comic Con this weekend - which is very disappointing - BUT there's a very good reason I'm not taking that road trip to indulge my fandoms!

      I will be staffing a table for CADL at Lansing's annual ShutoCon anime convention! This convention is growing, and they expect 7000 people this year. I had the idea of partnering with this convention and pitched it to our marketing folks, and it went over well. They managed to get us four donated weekend passes, and we have been having contests for patrons all month.

      So on Sunday I will be in costume, talking up our library at the convention!

      Also, I will demonstrating how e-comics work on an iPad, and surveying interest so that we can decide if we want to invest in this type of collection. Digital comic books are really cool, as MacKenzie noted, and in this way I will help discover if this is a good fit for our patron base.

      So not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty proud of coming up with this partner idea and excited to work at the convention. We hope this will be an annual partnership for our library!

      GREAT topic, by the way! Also, MacKenzie, get to the ComicCon if you can - everybody (but me) will be there! Nathan Fillion, Sean Astin, Dr. Who (Matt Smith)....

      Thanks all, and wish me luck on Sunday,
      Heather

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    2. Related: I marketed like a pro at ShutoCon on behalf of CADL on Sunday, and I managed to reach about 300 attendees. I surveyed them on titles we should get for our collection (anime/manga), polled interest in digital comics, and gave them info on teen and young adult programming. I discovered that my theory about our Pronunciator language learning service would be popular - and it was. So that was a good guess.

      I'm wiped out though. So my question is, if you were a public library employee, how much outreach and marketing would you be willing to take on in addition to your regular tasks? Any? Lots? None?

      Could be I am burned out exhausted (day 7 of 10 for me) this week, but that's the question that springs to mind!

      Thanks all,
      Heather

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    3. MacKenzie: My boyfriend uses his iPad to download graphic novels as well. We both used to buy them in print form, but when the option became available to buy them digitally, we made the switch and it was a lot cheaper. I hope you get to go to a Con one day - it can be so much fun.

      Heather: Great job at ShutoCon - 300 people is amazing considering the amount of people expected to attend. I'm impressed you were able to get first hand experience with this type of outreach and how successful it seemed to be. As for your question - if I were a public library employee I would be willing to take on as much outreach/marketing as I could afford to devote time to. I like to try to spread the word about what a library can offer a community, but also I wouldn't want to burn myself out or I wouldn't be able to do the library any justice.

      I'm so happy with the positive feedback this idea has gotten so far - thanks everybody!
      -Kathleen

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  4. What really grabbed me about your post was not just that the librarians set up a booth a comic con (such a good idea) and brought along tablets to answer reference questions (even better idea) but that they participated in the convention by holding two panels (amazing!) They gave attendees three opportunities to interact with library staff in different ways, increasing the chances of attracting new library users. It is great to see a library take an active role in a huge event like Comic Con, not just set up a table and hand out pamphlets.

    Heather, I am so excited that you had such an interest in the library at ShutoCon! I think your level of exhaustion speaks to the fact that we modern day library employees have a lot more on our plates, and are often asked to juggle extra responsibilities and activities on top of a normal workload within a 40 hour work week. It is often difficult to find a balance, especially when we have such enthusiasm for our work.

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    1. The panel that I went to about how to start a graphic novel collection in your library and why was very informative. Most of those in the audience were public or school librarians and there was a lot of great discussion and ideas passed around. It was also great the way they emphasized to those who were not librarians, that they should let their local libraries know what kind of materials they want to see in their library - that as a patron you do have some kind of power over what your library can order by showing interest.
      -Kathleen

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  5. The idea of a library having a booth at a Con completely blows my mind but I absolutely love it! This is such an innovative outreach idea. Also, I think libraries hosting their own mini conventions would be an excellent way to bring new users to the physical library site and perhaps, introduce them to services or materials they were not aware that the library offered.

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    1. I too found the idea of libraries hosting their own conventions to be such a great and innovative idea. I have personally never seen a library put this idea in action, but I would love to go to one. It can be such a great way to engage a community.
      -Kathleen

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  6. I love that New Orleans Public Library had a booth at Comic Con! What a great way to showcase what the library has to offer to that demographic. I would not have though about that. I like how you pointed out that this also gives the librarians a chance to see what their patrons are interested in. I will definitely start thinking outside the box when it comes to outreach.

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    1. When I first found out they were going to have a booth and put on two panels, I was blown away. I had never linked Comic Con and libraries together before - and now I wonder why not. Book fairs and festivals seemed a natural place to find a library presence, but with the prevalence of pop culture in our society, it should be natural that libraries would want to get involved in a convention that celebrates that in order to interact with the community the library serves. I hope more libraries will consider this as a viable outreach opportunity in the future.
      -Kathleen

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  7. I love this idea! Why would a library not be present? After all, graphic novels are books and many of the characters at Comic Cons have their own book series. Why not reach out and let people we have them. Many of those people are also readers, so we should make our presence known, in case they have never been to their local library or are new to town.

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    1. That's one of the great things about Cons - so many people travel from out of town and if a library can show them how much they have to offer in terms of these interests, then they may return home and seek out their local library.
      -Kathleen

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  8. I think it's great that the New Orleans Public library thought about going to Comic-con. I never would've thought about something like that. But it is a greta way to get your name out there and show the public what the library really has to offer. That is really great. I really like the idea of putting on your own comic con type of thing as well. Of course it doesn't have to be comic con exactly you could do other genres as well. That was an awesome read. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Right - you could focus on anime or even cosplay. One of the librarians mentioned a program where teens brought in materials to create a costume pertaining to pop culture and they could have help with sewing and assembling the costume.
      -Kathleen

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  9. This is fabulous! I have not been to a fan convention in a very long time - they got too over priced for me - but I do not remember the Las Vegas Library District ever being present at one. I believe next time we have a convention, I will have to bite the bullet for a ticket and go to see if they are there! :-)

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    1. You may be able to check out the itinerary and vendors listed on the Con's website before buying a ticket to see if they have a presence there.
      -Kathleen

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  10. This is such a great way for public libraries to get their name out there and try to draw in a crowd. It is also targeting a different segment of society--comic book enthusiasts. A lot of people do not know this, but many libraries have a comic book collection. Having a booth at a convention like this is brilliant. Other places that come to mind when thinking about community outreach include shopping malls, food festivals, and even dog shows. The list is infinite really if you think about it.

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    1. It is true that many people do not know their library carries graphic novels. Also, some libraries do not have large collections so events like Comic Con allows the library to not only make their presence known, but gain insight about what is popular and what people may want to read.
      -Kathleen

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  11. I love this idea and I'm going to steal it if possible! When I worked in a small public library I always felt that our director neglected community outreach. When I was a kid the librarian always had a booth at our county fair and she participated in every community program she could. The director I worked under essentially refused to do anything like that just because she didn't like it. I always felt that it hurt our image as a library. I recently returned to my hometown and local opinion of the library and its director has soured considerably and I suspect that part of it is due to her lack of engagement with the community.

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    1. That is so sad to hear! I hope you are able to help change that perception.
      -Kathleen

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  12. Almost an entirely new concept to me I appreciate knowing there's so much ado about graphic novels and comic books. I'd be interested in knowing about the research regarding reading literacy and all this excitement.

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    1. That would be interesting to read as well - I'd have to research more into it. I hope you get a chance to learn more about graphic novels, they can be a lot of fun.
      -Kathleen

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  13. Wow! Impressive librarians out there (Woot! Woot! Heather!) working hard meeting patrons where they are and getting their input. I've worked really hard at getting more graphic novels in my little library and have great support from avid readers to help me pick them out (adults and teens) but have not had the opportunity to meet and greet at a convention. I do try and help represent the library as often as possible whenever possible (RIverboat Days, Arts in the Park, etc). and will work hard to drum up more of our library staff to join me and get us out there!

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    1. Great job Rebecca! It's great that you work hard to make your presence known to your community however you can.
      -Kathleen

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  14. That's so cool! I know that where I use to live (Bradenton, FL), the library have a Free Comic Book Day the first weekend in May. It's a huge hit, and almost every branch that participates gets a great reception from its younger patrons. When I started reading your post, that was the first thing that I could associate it with. Marketing much?

    The community will not know who you are unless you get yourself out there. This is a common misconception with any business or service. I guess the library is not immune, and by marketing itself, it can make itself much more of a pillar in the community.

    -Morgan Garcia

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    1. Speaking of events upcoming in May - I know Star Wars Day is coming up on May 4th and that can be another type of event that a library can use to reach out to younger patrons.
      -Kathleen

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  15. I love this idea! I just recently discovered my love for comics and graphic novels, and I'm so glad that my local library has such a large collection. You make a good point in saying that graphic novels are not just for children or teens and that they can be useful for adults and educational purposes as well.

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  16. Marketing like that at Comic Con is such an amazing idea. I know one librarian at my library always ends up going to Cons like that as well dressed up and promoting the "Think Geek" promotion we have had going on for the past few months. I would love to go with her some year!

    Coming from a smaller town where I am used to being in a tight knit community, I have really begun to realize how important outreach is. I have had the most experience with public libraries and I know that people come to our library for everything and sometimes tend to become upset when we have things going on and they didn't find out about it on time due to poor advertising. When you are in a smaller community, especially one with families with lower income, it is so essential to hold programs that everyone can enjoy and benefit from that don't cost anything (which is how our programs work).

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  17. There are many libraries that have started to bolster their graphic novel collections. I know that FSU has a great collection and, locally speaking, YDL has a decent collection as well. For libraries to become involved with Comic-Con is a great idea!

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    1. And it's not just public libraries - the library at LSU (where I did my undergrad) had a large graphic novel section as well.
      -Kathleen

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