graphic novels

July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month! Started in 2019 to bring attention to and promote the growing graphic novel and comics collections in our nation’s libraries, the month-long celebration coincides with the world’s biggest fandom event, San Diego Comic Con. In addition to highlighting collections and their accessibility through digital library apps like Hoopla, Graphic Novel Month is a great opportunity to show the range of formats, genres, characters and benefits that these mediums have to offer.

The latest Batman movie reboot is set in the vigilante's second year of fighting crime. For now, fans looking for stories from Batman’s later years or those centered around other members of the extended “Bat Family” will have to look beyond the big screen (for now). Fortunately, Batgirl, Batwoman, Robin, and Nightwing are all well-represented at the Library!

Comic book superheroes are experiencing a renaissance. But with so many characters, time travel plots, branching timelines, and alternate universes: sometimes it’s helpful to go back to the original source. So, whether you’re looking to fill in some gaps or you want to see what’s next, the Library has you covered.

Comics – and their longer-form siblings, graphic novels – are much more than just books with pretty pictures. There may have panels instead of paragraphs but they actually share a lot in common with their prose (or text-only) counterparts. You can find graphic novels covering just about every conceivable genre and subject matter. For struggling young readers, graphic novels can act as a gateway into a world of reading; they build confidence, comprehension and vocabularies. With so many reasons to give graphic novels a try and with so many great titles to choose from… now is the perfect time to head on over to your local library, to the Library’s catalog or our app.

In celebration of Graphic Novels in Libraries Month, guest blogger Andrea Markle will do a shelf highlight on the Jackonville Public Library's Manga collection. 

It is required to shelve various materials when working at the library, i.e. books, audiobooks, CDs and DVDs. But, one of my favorite sections in the library to shelve are the Teen Graphic and Adult Graphic areas. This is mainly due to the fact that I am personally a fan of the Japanese graphic novels, otherwise known as manga.  

In case you need an excuse to read more graphic novels, July is National Graphic Novels in Libraries month! With thrilling sci-fi and fantasy, action-packed manga and hero-led humor, graphic novels are sure to captivate readers of all ages. Whether you're a graphic novels connoisseur, or just getting started, the library has great material waiting for you to check out. You can access tons of graphic novels on Hoopla when you create a free account using your Jacksonville Public Library card!