Caring for our Graphic Novel Collection
A problem mentioned by some libraries that have graphic novels is the fragility of the bindings, especially Manga. Large serial anthologies published with several volumes in one paperback (such as the Bone Complete Cartoon Epic in one volume) seem like they would be prone to split spines. When individual volumes are available, especially in hardback, the durability may justify the extra expense. Heavy and perhaps rough usage from teens also exacerbates problems with paperback bindings. Some library staff members also fear graphic novels will be stolen.However, these arguments are no reason to fear putting a collection in place. We could use the same arguments against magazines, DVDs, CDs, and any paperback books. Graphic novels will be well worth the effort of maintaining the collection! Still, it is wise to be prepared to take some preventative measures, and be ready to do some maintenance and mending. While there isn’t a lot of research on how libraries can care for graphic novels, it is occasionally a topic on listservs, including GNLIB (Graphic Novels in Libraries). I also e-mailed the YALSA listserv to see if I could get some advice.
Preventative Care
Ching and many others recommend taping the spines. Members of the GNLIB-L listserv write that laminating or contact-papering the entire covers has made a tremendous difference in wear. Kat Kan suggests using two-inch-wide clear book tape to reinforce the spines and inner gutters.
Another very simple thing that has been done at libraries to reduce wear is to just make sure they have ample room in the graphic novel area and display the books face-out. This seems to reduce stress on the spine:
Mending and Maintenance
For mending worn-out copies with split spines, librarians suggest carefully tipping in pages or gluing in sections with book glue. In an e-mail to me, Kan recommended using good quality book glue, such as Norbond (from Demco). Some librarians also use paper hinge tape. If the book is thin enough and has enough space in the gutter of the book, we could use heavy-duty staplers to staple the books back together. Other libraries have also used plastic comb bindings for graphic novels that had fallen apart, but I see this as a last resort since these bindings can come apart fairly easily as well.
Buying Options
Gordon Wyant from Bellevue Public Library responded to my questions posted to the YALSA listserv. He wrote that the big anthologies that collect 5-10 of the monthly comics in a medium sized paperback get some of the most circulation, after Manga titles. His library orders these titles from BWI in their prebound format. It lengthens the life of the title a great deal and is well worth the money spent to get it bound. Kan also commented on book distributors that offer libraries reinforced bindings for graphic novels, for a higher price.
Out-of-Print Issues
It will be important to try to keep the books in good condition. Sometimes graphic novels go out of print and it can be hard to find a replacement copy. This especially presents a problem when the missing item is in the middle of a series. In Kan's e-mail she explained that, depending on the publisher, “out of print” can mean forever, or can mean the book will be published again in a year or so. This is especially true with publishers like Marvel, which puts trade paperbacks out of print fairly quickly and then republishes them again in a while with a new cover so collectors will want to buy each edition. For Manga, most of the time the series will go out of print because the publisher has lost the license to publish the English translation in the US. Sometimes they may come back with other publishers.
If items really are out of print, finding them can be tricky. Wyant explained that when he needs to find a replacement for an out of print item, he checks his distributors first (BWI and Ingram). While the item may be out of print, the distributor may still have some copies in their warehouses. If that is not the case, he suggests checking local comic stores. They can be an invaluable resource for older items and if they don't have it, they might be able to point you to someplace that will. Finally, if we get really desperate, he suggests checking Amazon Marketplace. You can often find out of print titles in good to perfect condition, although it can be difficult finding the title for a decent price. It also takes some time, but it can fill holes in series from time to time and is worth checking.
Resources
Bucher, Katherine T., and M. Lee Manning. "Bringing Graphic Novels into a School's Curriculum." The Clearing House 78.2 (2004): 67-72. Professional Development Collection. EBSCOhost. UIUC Library. 27 Oct. 2007 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=15348082&site=ehost-live.
Ching, Alison. "Holy Reading Revolution, Batman! Developing a Graphic Novel Collection for Young Adults." Young Adult Library Services 3.4 (2005): 19-21. LISA. EBSCOhost. UIUC Library. 18 Nov. 2007 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=18797219&site=ehost-live.
GNLIB (Graphic Novels in Libraries) listserv. www.angelfire.com/comics/gnlib/. Thread began 20 July 2000 “Re: Mike Pawuk's Appearance and a question” then changed to “RE: ...and a question” and “RE: help for GNs falling apart.” Retrieved 18 Nov. 2007 http://lists.topica.com/lists/GNLIB-L/read?sort=d&start=300.
Kan, Kat. "Getting Graphic at the School Library." Library Media Connection 21.7 (2003): 14. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. UIUC Library. 27 Oct. 2007 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9467494&site=ehost-live.
Kan, Kat. "Re: [yalsa-bk] Graphic novel collection--keeping the novels in good shape." E-mail to Rebecca Haagsma. 28 Oct. 2007.
Wyant , Gordon . "Re: [yalsa-bk] Graphic novel collection--keeping the novels in good shape." E-mail to Rebecca Haagsma. 29 Oct. 2007.
1 comment:
Looks good to me! It seems like a lot of the repairs would have to be decided on a case-by-case basis because the bindings vary so much and the layout of images and text can be so important.
I've seen a few graphic novels that were sent off to a bindery. Some of them just have the ugly buckram with stamped titles or some had the covers glued on top of the buckram bindings. A bad binder may remove a lot of the gutter when they process the book, so you'd need to be careful about losing text and images that way.
Other than quality, it's a matter of balancing the visual appeal with the importance of a permanent book. Ugly bindings might make them less appealing to steal, at least, but they don't look as "young and contemporary" when they're done up that way. And it automatically adds to the processing time, which might frustrate fans of continuing series. I'd expect it more for academic libraries, I guess, that just do that automatically to most paperback books.
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