critical librarianship and comics

black and white photo of a long haired kitten wearing a light-colored crochet sweater
From Kittens and cats : a book of tales / Eulalie Osgood Grover (1911)

94th chat, Tuesday November 28 2017: critical librarianship and comics
6pm Pacific / 7pm Mountain / 8pm Central / 9pm Eastern

moderated by @ohelmiller and @stephliana
Storify (pdf, html) by @NoetheMatt

Glossary:

  • graphic novel vs. comic: comic is the medium, graphic novel is a form more socially accepted.
  • minicomics: usually refers to handmade or micropress (creator-published/self-published or very small press) comics.
  • webcomics: comics created for and published on websites. May range from daily strips to full-length graphic novels. (Distinguished from digital comics, which are usually traditionally-published comics meant to live as print works but made available on digital platforms.)
  • sequential art: artwork that tells a story through sequential narrative (including storyboards, animation, and illustrated novels). Comics are sequential art, but not all sequential art is comics.
  • see also: BookRiot’s Glossary of Comic Terms

Suggested resources:

Discussion questions:
  • Q1. How have you used (or seen comics used) in library practice? How would you like to see comics used in libraries? #critlib
  • Q2. What programming ideas or experiences do you have that examine comics through a critical lens? That use comics AS a critical lens? #critlib
  • Q3. How do cataloging and/or shelving practices in your library affect the perception or discovery of comics? #critlib
  • Q4. Given institutional norms, how can we keep comic collections weird? #critlib
  • Q5. Comic suggestions for the new-to-comics-critical-librarian? #critlib