Library Approaches to / Uses of Comics || Library Collections
Library Research / Resource Guides || Discussion Lists

This page collects inks to various resources of interest to those who manage or use library collections. If you have suggestions for more resources to list here, please contact us.

Entries marked or have been newly added or revised since April 1, 2014.

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Library Approaches to / Uses of Comics

Cornog, Martha, and Timothy Perper, eds. 2009. Graphic Novels Beyond the Basics: Insights and Issues for Librarians. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimites - ABC-Clio.

Miller, Steve. Developing and Promoting Graphic Novel Collections. Teens @ the library series. NY: Neal-Schuman P, 2005. 130pp. ISBN 1555704611 (paper). Buy It!

O'Kelly, Joss, compiler. 2001. Son of Invisible Art: Graphic Novels for Libraries. Aylesbury [UK]: Library and Information Service for Schools, Buckinghamshire County Council, 2001.

Scott, Randall W. Comic Books and Strips: An Information Sourcebook. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx P, 1988. 152pp. ISBN 089774389X (paper). Buy It!

Scott, Randall W. Comics Librarianship: A Handbook. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1990. ISBN 0899505279.

Serchay, David S. 2008. The Librarian's Guide to Graphic Novels for Children and Tweens. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.   

Serchay, David S. 2009. The Librarian's Guide to Graphic Novels for Adults. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. 

Weblink: Comic Adventures in Academia by Karen Green, Columbia University librarian

Weblink: Dealing with Challenges to Graphic Novels from the American Library Association

Weblink: No Flying, No Tights - Comics reviews for teens. Also Sidekicks (for kids) and The Lair (for teens and adults)

Weblink: Library Journal's Graphic Novel rss feed.

Weblink: School Library Journal's Graphic Novel rss feed.

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Library Research Collections
See also Comics Research Libraries by MSU's Randy Scott

Australia

National Library of Australia - See the Michael Hill Collection

Belgium

Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée / Belgisch Centrum voor het Beeldverhaal

Denmark

Tegneseriemuseet i Danmark - primarily a museum; see also information in English

Finland

Suomen Sarjakuvaseuran kokoelma - also in English

France

Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l'Image 

Germany

Wonderfully Vulgar - British Comics 1973-1939 - The exhibition is based on a collection of around 5000 historical British comics housed in the Library (BIS) of the University of Oldenburg in Germany.

Norway

Serieteket 

Sweden

Serieteket - also in English

USA

Bowling Green State University - Browne Popular Culture Library

Center for Cartoon Studies, Schultz Library - online catalog for this comics-specific collection. See also the Schulz Library blog.

Columbia University Libraries - including the Chris Claremeont papers, Al Jaffee papers and Jerry Robinson papers, 1942-1964. See the complete listing for comics in the archives.

Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library - Comics - including the Murray (Edwin and Terry) Comic Book Collection, the Sarah Dyer Zine Collection, ca. 1985-1999, and the M. Thomas Inge Papers, 1978-1982, 1988-1989. See also past exhibits including "Comic Book Cultures" and "Early Comic Strips 1898-1916" 

Henderson State University's Huie Library Special Collections - including the Stephen R. Bissette Collection, "The Graphic Novel as Literature and History of Comics," and the "Jean-Marc L' Officier Collection: French Comics and French Popular Culture."

Indiana University-Bloomington Lilly Library - The Michael E. Uslan Collection Database of Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Iowa State University Library's Underground Comix Collection, 1947-2007 - donated by Clay Geerdes.

Kent State University Library's Department of Special Collections and Archives - including the P. Craig Russell Collection

Library of Congress - Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon - Several resources; see, for example, Cartoon-related Research at the Library of Congress and Swann Foundation Fellowships. See also the Comic Book Collection.

Michigan State University- Comic Art Collection - including Indexes by Mike Rhode

Northern Illinois University Libraries - Rare Books & Special Collections - includes the Comic Book Collection, with a searchable database

Northwestern University Library's Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections hosts a collection of mainstream and underground comic books, as detailed in this exhibit announcement.

Ohio State University - Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum - see also detailed information at Cartoonist Group

Portland State Library's Comics Collection featuring the Dark Horse Collection - includes one copy of each title in Special Collections and in a browsing, circulating collection. 

Syracuse University Libraries have a special subject strength in Cartoons and Cartoonists - including papers and /or cartoons from over 200 cartoonists. 

University of California Riverside Libraries - Special Collections - including The J. Lloyd Eaton Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Utopian Literature - with two fanzine collections

University of Connecticut - Thomas J. Dodd Research Center - including an underground comix collection. See also "Voices from the Underground: Radical Protest and the Underground Press in the 'Sixties': An Exhibition."

University of Florida - George A. Smathers Libraries - see Special and Area Studies Collections exhibit information including "Help is on the Way! Comic Books and Superheroes in Special Collections" and "75 Years of Blondie: 1930-2005" (pdf file)

University of Iowa Libraries - Comic Books in Special Collections at the University of Iowa, including many zine resources

University of Minnesota Libraries - The John Philip Borger Comic Book Collection

University of Pennsylvania - Steven Rothman Collection of Comics, Cartoons, and Graphic Novels - see also the archival page Comics, Animation, & Graphic Novels at Penn

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Library Special Collections (4th floor) includes a Comic Book Collection (see catalog search tips)

University of Wyoming - American Heritage Center's Rural Images Virtual Exhibit - including J.R. Williams, Ace Reid, and Jerry Palen. Also Stan Lee: Papers, 1947-1991; see related news release

Virginia Commonwealth University - Special Collections and Archives - Manuscript and Book Collections - featuring the Comic Arts Collection: several different collections, including the M. Thomas Inge Collection of Comic Arts Reference Journals and the M. Thomas Inge Papers, as well as over 30,000 comic books. From VCU News, June 12, 2006: Article on the collection. 

United Kingdom

British Library - British Comics Collection - with collection information and links to related resources.

Centre for the Study of Cartoons and Caricature [CartoonHub] - located at the University of Kent at Canterbury: "a library, archive, gallery, and registered museum dedicated to the history of British cartooning over the last two hundred years. CartoonHub describes the Centre's holdings, but is also a guide to the holdings of other archives and galleries, including the partners in the RSLP CartoonHub Project."

National Art Library at the Victoria & Albert Museum - see Comics in the National Art Library, including the "Krazy Kat Arkive of Twentieth Century Popular Culture" and the "Rakoff Collection of Comics." See also The Andy Roberts Memorial Collection of Comics and Zines, maintained by Jenni Scott.

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Library Research / Resource Guides

Columbia University - Graphic Novels 

University at Buffalo - Library Guides - Comic Books - also Graphic Novels: Resources for Teachers & Librarians 

University of North Carolina - Graphic Novels 

University of North Texas - Graphic Novels and Comics Websites

University of Wisconsin-Madison - Graphic Novels from the Cooperative Children's Book Center

Yale University - Comic Books, Comic Strips, and Graphic Novels

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Discussion Lists

Comix-acadlibs - "The COMIX-ACADLIBS listserv is a network uniting academic librarians with comics/graphic novels in their general and/or special collections. Issues for discussion will include selecting, cataloging, shelving, and promoting comics/graphic novels collections; events of interest; promotion at professional events such as ALA, etc. Individuals who are not academic librarians, but who share our concerns, are welcome."

gn4lib · Graphic Novels for Libraries - "Includes discussion of comics, graphic novels, Japanese manga, Japanese anime, other types of animation, and all resources related to the sequential art format in libraries of all types. Discussion will be primarily of interest to public and school librarians. Membership is open to librarians, industry professionals, and authors/illustrators to share reviews and resources for graphic novel collections. A continuation of the original GNLIB-L discussion group started in 1999 by Steve Miller."

 

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