Anya's Ghost Re-cataloging, Milwaukee Public Library
August 2011
Competencies demonstrated:
I wanted to highlight this experience because it’s an important example of how collection management affects intellectual freedom. A fantastic graphic novel for teens was placed in the adult section, where teens would be unlikely to come across it unless they sought it out specifically. I wanted to make sure that teens had maximum access to this title, which deals in a very meaningful and engaging way with issues of identity, self-acceptance, and friendship.
This graphic novel was originally shelved in with adult materials in all 13 MPL locations. I had read multiple reviews, however, that made clear it was likely to appeal strongly to teens. I read through my branch copy, and realized it was an incredible resource for teens – gripping, excellently written and drawn, and with a high-school protagonist coping with age-relevant themes like fitting in, popularity, new romantic relationships, and figuring out your identity. The horror aspects were less graphic or disturbing than many of our existing YA graphic novels, and many other nearby libraries have it in YA.
I contacted the systemwide selectors for teen and adult graphic novels, made my argument, and we all agreed to move the title to the teen section.
Competencies demonstrated:
- Establishes and applies selection and evaluation criteria to build a collection of high quality and relevant resources
- Determines criteria for evaluating the format, access and presentation aspects of resources to inform selections appropriate to a range of ages and developmental stages
- Follows trends in traditional and digital publishing and gathers best practices of similar
institutions - Consults a variety of review sources, in combination with informed judgment and knowledge of
the community, to evaluate materials - Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of the library’s collection (subject ranges, age, size, level, strengths and shortcomings) and applies the knowledge to the decision-making process
- Demonstrates broad knowledge of authors, literature and publishers
- Understands and acts in accordance with the basic values and ethics of library service
I wanted to highlight this experience because it’s an important example of how collection management affects intellectual freedom. A fantastic graphic novel for teens was placed in the adult section, where teens would be unlikely to come across it unless they sought it out specifically. I wanted to make sure that teens had maximum access to this title, which deals in a very meaningful and engaging way with issues of identity, self-acceptance, and friendship.
This graphic novel was originally shelved in with adult materials in all 13 MPL locations. I had read multiple reviews, however, that made clear it was likely to appeal strongly to teens. I read through my branch copy, and realized it was an incredible resource for teens – gripping, excellently written and drawn, and with a high-school protagonist coping with age-relevant themes like fitting in, popularity, new romantic relationships, and figuring out your identity. The horror aspects were less graphic or disturbing than many of our existing YA graphic novels, and many other nearby libraries have it in YA.
I contacted the systemwide selectors for teen and adult graphic novels, made my argument, and we all agreed to move the title to the teen section.
