TLA, OLA and The Library Bill of Rights A Cultural Shift continues in Texas and Oklahoma It’s been quite a few months of solid travel for me these days so I do apologize for not having anything posted lately. In my travels I’ve pretty much covered the country from Miami to San Diego and Chicago to Houston then on to Oklahoma-it’s all been for people who want to know more about graphic novels. At the beginning of April the Texas Library Association held their annual convention in Houston. TLA is one of the most influential library shows in the country and it is a ‘must attend’ for anyone wanting to do business in the library world. For this particular show TLA made the formal announcement for the Maverick’s Graphic Novel Committee. Like their counter part in the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Great Graphic Novel for Teens Committee the Maverick’s will publish a list of great graphic novels as recommended by this core group of librarians. For TLA to take a step such as this is a considerable event. Texas librarians and teachers take their book awards such as the Bluebonnets, Long Horn and Taysha’s quite seriously. Publishers also understand the benefit of these awards as they do help to move books. Now that Texas officially recognizes the value of graphic novels the cultural shift has picked up a little more momentum. The next trip on my agenda landed me in Oklahoma for the Oklahoma State Library Association’s annual gathering. I really enjoyed the hospitality and sat in on some great workshops. The audience here was a definite mix of teachers, school and public librarians and academics. Creating a presentation for this diverse audience is quite a challenge. Each person wanted to know how graphic novels specifically fit into their worlds. Judging by the crowded room, we still have only just begun to scratch the surface on meeting the needs of the market. The Library Bill of Rights turns 60 There is a fascinating document that many outside of the librarian world may have never heard of. It’s the Library Bill of Rights and this is the 60th anniversary of the formal adoption by the American Library Association. The implications of this document and the movement are still being felt to this very day. Consider the era in which the movement began to create this bill: it was the 1930s and we were dealing with The Great Depression, Civil Rights were only a whisper of a movement and the librarian world was feeling a need to establish a sense of new self. Here are the opening statement and two of the articles: The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. That’s pretty brave stuff considering we were already embroiled in communist witch hunts. Maybe the 60s really began with this bold declaration? To me, the ultimate irony is that, during the comic book burnings in the 1950s, librarians and teachers were right there with the rest of our leaders of society. Now, graphic novels and comics are making a comeback because librarians and now, teachers have become the most ardent supporters of the format. How cool is that? John Shableski works for Diamond Book Distributors as a sales manager with a focus on the independent bookstore market, public and school libraries. He's been a moderator and panelist at Book Expo, a moderator for library panels at the New York Comic Con, a guest speaker at library events, regional book shows and a symposium coordinator. This year he has been given the honor of serving as a judge for the 2009 Eisner Awards at Comic Con International. He is currently collaborating on several graphic novel symposiums across the country. He can be reached via email at [email protected]
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Posted by: PT | May 05, 2009 at 02:55 PM