This weekend the ALA (American Library Association) meeting takes place in Anaheim, and there’s a big graphic novel presence. Graphic Novel Reporter has the complete rundown of four days of activity on the Graphic Novel Stage, the GN/Gaming pavilion, and even an artist’s alley with creators such as Faith Erin Hicks, Tom Kaczynski & Gabrielle Bell, and the ubiquitous Dave Roman/Raina Telgemeier duo.
We keep puttering away on a mega post about the library/comics connection, but let’s just say librarians love graphic novels, and the love is going right back. This is probably as important an event for increasing the profile of comics as any this year.
Snow Wildsmith, co-author of our new book, A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics (http://www.krausebooks.com/parent-s-gd-to-best-kid-s-comics) will interview Raina Telgemeier on the Graphic Novel Stage Monday at 10:30 a.m.
Several of the creators of the graphic novels chosen for the book will also be in attendance at the show.
I’ll be talking about the Eisner Awards with past Eisner judges who are librarians, Saturday at 4:00 on the Graphic Novel stage.
And a team of librarians will be video interviewing all the Artist Alley artists during the conference; the interviews will be posted online by ALA. We also have some other gn programming away from the Exhibits floor, so there’s quite a bit of gn activity at ALA this year. And the Will Eisner Library Graphic Novel Prize starts this year. Lots of fun! And there will be some cosplaying, too!
To an outsider, the info about graphic novels at ALA may sound a bit strange but you cannot underestimate the librarian contribution to the growth and progress of the graphic novel category.
There are a lot more great books coming out because the librarians have given so much support!
thank you librarians!
Ten years of Get Graphic at Your Library!
I’ll be in attendance. DC is even sponsoring a cocktail hour (check the coupon, Random House)!
There’s a special limited edition t-shirt, and there will be a cosplay party! (and sessions so that librarians can learn how to use graphic novels to bring in new readers!)
Also, the final performance of the Rock Bottom Remainders!
So excited by more Library-GN initiatives. Great stuff.