• Building a Japanese Manga Collection for Non-Traditional Patrons in an Academic Library

    Author(s):
    Molly Des Jardin (see profile) , Michael P. Williams (see profile)
    Date:
    2020
    Group(s):
    Library & Information Science
    Subject(s):
    Academic libraries--Administration, Academic librarians, Collection development (Libraries), Comic books, strips, etc., Graphic novels, Japanese literature, Library science, Information science, Popular culture
    Item Type:
    Book chapter
    Tag(s):
    Technical Services, Academic librarianship, Collection development, Comics, Library and information science, Literature in the language class, Manga
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/2nqt-jn15
    Abstract:
    This chapter describes how the Penn Libraries began collecting Japanese- and Korean-language comics, focusing largely on manga from Japan aimed at engaging language students and instructors with Japanese library materials. These patrons are a non-traditional demographic typically not targeted by Japanese-language collecting in academic libraries. Penn’s initial approach to this collection has likewise been non-traditional, as we looked to fan and commercial portals for popular audiences to assess the pulse of contemporary publishing in Japan, rather than relying solely on library-facing resources such as WorldCat or publisher advertisements. We advocate for a holistic approach to collecting manga that embraces: dialogue with previously underserved patrons; surveys of varied online sources like marketplaces, fan websites, and social media; and active awareness of current, socially relevant topics in Japan. The methods we describe to identify, catalog, and provide bibliographic access to Japanese comic material in a library setting can be applied even in libraries that do not have staff with expertise in the language. We encourage other libraries to explore partnerships with institutions like the Penn Libraries in their communities or via interlibrary lending, who have the staff expertise and resources to develop more extensive Japanese-language manga collections. In turn, institutions such as ours have an opportunity to serve as leaders in collecting and making their collections available to the broader community.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Book chapter     Show details
    Publisher:
    ALA Editions
    Pub. Date:
    2020
    Book Title:
    The Library’s Guide to Graphic Novels
    Author/Editor:
    John Ballestro
    Chapter:
    7
    Page Range:
    145 - 164
    ISBN:
    9780838947333
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    3 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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