Note: This blog post is written for SLIS 672 at IU, Spring 2013
In class last Friday, we discussed whether public libraries should collect comics from the 1930s and 40s, and if yes, where they should be shelved (Childrens? Adult?). For example, for class this week we are reading selections from The Complete Terry and the Pirates, Vol. 1: 1934-1936 by Milton Caniff. This specific edition of Terry and the Pirates was published in 2007.
I am on the fence as to whether I would put this book in a library collection. It would completely depend on the community, and if there was a demand for it. Since this edition has a fairly recent publication date it goes to reason that people still want to read this comic. However, I think the majority of people who would be interested in this comic are people who have an interest in the history of comics or are nostalgic. In general, I think if I worked for a very large library I would put it in my collection. If I worked for a small library, I would not purchase it unless a patron requested it. Even then, I would have to give some thought as to whether to order it or not as the list price is $50, and perhaps the patron is requesting all 6 volumes. That would be a large chuck of money for a small library and probably could not be justified if just one patron wanted to read these comics.
As to where I would shelf it, I would definitely put it in the adult collection. Most likely, it would be shelved in the dewey (“non-fiction”) section in 741.5. I am not sure what age the intended audience of the Terry and the Pirates comics were when they were originally published. Now, I think it only belongs in an adult collection because a younger audience might have difficulties with the dialect of various characters and the historical context (including obvious racism).
I decided to check WorldCat to see which libraries in the area have Terry and the Pirates and where they shelve it. First, I noticed that not many libraries have a copy of the edition we are reading:
In fact, only one library in Indiana (Indianapolis) has a copy, and the other nearest libraries are in bordering states and over 100 miles away. All these libraries are in geographical areas with large populations. In addition, all the libraries in the above image shelved the book in the adult non-fiction in 741.5 as I expected.
Public libraries provide current and in demand materials. They are not meant to be historical collections. When it comes to old comics, some large libraries might choose to collect certain older titles that were influential and are still read today, but small libraries cannot afford large collections of older materials and will probably only purchase them if they are in high demand from the community.
I’ll end my post with this video I stumbled upon. I must say, it was entertaining for me because as I read Terry and the Pirates, the voices in my head were definitely those of old-time movie stars.
I also think that this is not appropriate content for children or younger teens, and based on the community, I would prefer to shelve this under the history section in the adult section.
In addition, according to the New Yorker review as mentioned in Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Terry-Pirates-Vol/dp/1600101003/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y, there are some graphical content in the materials and therefore makes it problematic to shelf it directly in the teen section. In a metropolitan based library, it may be worthy of obtaining this material but again needs to consider whether or not this material is appropriate even in the context of the content covered in this graphic novel. I am definitely on the guard of not buying it unless an adult asks for it.
I agree that Terry should be shelved in the adult section. The obvious racism and other issues make it an item not appropriate for a children’s collection. And I also agree that most libraries probably won’t even have it on their shelves unless they have a large population of comics enthusiasts (who would probably just buy their own copy if they really wanted it).
What do you think about the sexual content of the majority of manga? Should it still be shelved near the YA books, or should it be placed with the adult books? Or should libraries have a separate graphic novels section like the Bloomington MCPL does?
I agree absolutely with shelving it in the adult section, and I really appreciate your WorldCat research, as I was curious about this myself (although lazier, apparently). We’re reading this for historical context, but it’s good to have a reminder that oftentimes libraries can’t afford material that, as you pointed out, doesn’t have as much current interest (and is expensive besides).
Jenni’s question about manga–I’m in favor of a separate adult/YA and children’s graphic novels sections, like the MCPL, but that sort of side-steps the question. If there were no graphic novels section and the manga were more sexually explicit than some of the “spicier” YA literature, I would say to shelve it in the adult section. The same with anything with more extreme levels of violence. Of course, then there’s a separate debate about whether to put it in nonfiction (as with Terry and the Pirates), or fiction. It’s easier for me to say to shelve Terry in nonfiction, because it’s now predominantly of historical/artistic interest, but contemporary interest manga/graphic novels? I’d be tempted to say fiction. But this really shows why a separate section is desirable.
Jenna:
Despite the racism and “other issues” (whatever those are), can we agree that Terry and the Pirates should not be placed in a non-fiction area? It is clearly fiction. I looked up 741 on Wikipedia (the source of all knowledge, of course) and it’s the section for Drawing and Drawings? So how is this non-fiction. You Dewey people have some explaining to do.
But on to Terry: I can go for Terry being shelved in the adult section as long as all works with material that may be “too much for children” is done so as well. When we discuss material that is too adult for children, I assume it is because we are worried that either the material will jade young minds who are not equipped to interpret the context or that it is simply inappropriate or offensive in general. So this would probably include: racism, sexism, anti-religion, unpatriotic, sexual identity, non-traditional families . . . the list goes on. It seems though that there is discrepancy with some books on the children’s shelves that fall into one of these categories but are defended for being classic or simply “needed” (as they were original made for children and shall always be deemed so).
Newman’s Heather Has Two Mommies, Bishop’s The Five Chinese Brothers, and Richardson and Parnell’s The Tango Makes Three all have been challenged for not being suitable for young children, but they are still shelved in the children’s section.
Are they offensive? To some, yes. And to more than a just a few. So what exactly is the process for determining where a book should go?
I am not advocating for one homogenous collection that mixes both adult and children books on the same shelf. But it seems through many of the posts from this class I have read the past few weeks that librarians are the gatekeepers to children’s literature – that librarians get to decide where everything is shelved at their particular library. Or is there in fact an objective process?
Is Terry racist? It has racist parts. So does The Five Chinese Brothers. And while that’s not a good enough reason in itself for shelving Terry in the children’s section or for removing The Five Chinese Brothers to the adult section, keeping one book in the children’s section because a librarian simply wants to or because it’s tradition, is not a good reason either.
The Dewey section is not non-fiction. It’s always labeled as such, but really that’s incorrect. Honestly, the Dewey system doesn’t make complete sense and there’s a lot of gray area about how to label materials. However, it’s just what libraries have been using for a long time and it’s a hard thing to change. Overall, the Dewey system is a logical classification system and I don’t think anyone has really come up with something significantly better that would make it worth it for libraries to re-catalog their entire collection. As for the 741 number, you are correct that it is drawing, but actually 741.5 where comics are is “Comic books, graphic novels, fotonovelas, cartoons, caricatures, comic strips” (http://dewey.info/class/741.5/about.en).
The difference between Terry and the other titles you mentioned is that the text in the other titles is a lot simpler and therefore more fitting for children. Librarians have to deal with controversial issues all the time and I’ll get into that, but in this case Terry has a narrative that I think is too complex for children. (Note: by children, I mean birth-5th grade. 6th- age 18 is considered YA and the rest is adult).
Libraries do have to make decisions about where materials are shelved, that’s true. Also, they have to make decisions about whether or not to have certain “controversial” material. However, in library school we are taught to be very ethical and to know that our own biases cannot influence our decisions. Our decisions are based on what are community wants along with the principals libraries stand for (intellectual freedom: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom ).