Graphic novels, Gleeson Library, and Hollywood?

Before Tobey Maguire was bit by a spider and had a steamy upside down lip lock with Kirsten Dunst. Before Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale bravely donned the skintight black leather that left little to the imagination. And even before Jessica Alba defied physics by making herself invisible, there was the printed version, the original version…the comic book. Some might argue that the original genius of graphic novels has been overshadowed by Hollywood’s box office blockbusters, but at the University of San Francisco in the forefront of the Gleeson Library, librarians created a graphic novel display that draws attention to the creativity, social relevance and impression that graphic novels leave on a variety of cultural industries (i.e. films!).

Created by librarians Kathy Woo and Debbie Benrubi the display, which was a way “to highlight the library’s great collection,” said Benrubi, began showing on January 23 and will continue to the end of February of this year. The display allows an interactive element as students can freely check out a comic book right off of the display. “Fifty or so books have been checked out,” said Benrubi, out of the 91 graphic novels that have been used. At present date the display features a case that holds 16 comics, which are owned by USF faculty members and include volume one additions of Superman and Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder (these comics are not available for check out), one shelf of graphic novels, two carts worth of half empty graphic novels, and a comment box. “We have gotten a lot of great feedback,” said Benrubi. “We have already ordered 15-20 more comic books to expand on the library’s collection.”

So whether you are mindlessly whizzing about the library with tests protruding, dreadfully trudging along to read yet another essay, or on your way to the Sacramental Light exhibit in the Thacher Gallery, stop and take notice of the small yet visible graphic novel display. Whether it’s the “Rabbi’s Cat (Benrubi’s favorite)” or “Roadstrips,” a beautiful and breezy flip through of “a graphic journey across America,” take notice of the graphic novels which tell creative stories and feature wonderful illustrations. And if you check out a graphic novel, where an original price usually averages around three dollars, you might just be holding the next idea for a Hollywood script that could rack in 821.6 million dollars worldwide, just as Spidy did!

Gleeson Library the Purveyor of Cool?

The graphic novel is by no means new but it has found new serge in popularity that is taking many people by surprise. Currently, Gleeson Library of the University of San Francisco has an exhibit that runs through the month of February celebrating the graphic novel.
The impetus behind the exhibit was to not only to honor the genre but for the librarians to have a better understanding of what young people are reading today. Kathy Woo Head of Acquisitions and director of the exhibit got the idea for the exhibit visiting local bookstores. Woo said, “I was noticing all the kids lined up at the bookstores in the graphic novel section…its really a generational thing.”
Woo discussed this new trend with her fellow librarians and found many of them interested in the genre as well. The Dean of the library just happened to be a collector of graphic novels. Woo looked at the University’s own collection of graphic novels and found that it was decent. “I was surprised at what we did have, but we really want to build the collection,” said Woo.
One of the most exciting features of the exhibit is the suggestion box. Students and faculty are encouraged to suggest graphic novels that aren’t currently in the collection. Woo said, “the main purpose of the exhibit was to have the suggestion box.” As of last week there were several dozen suggestions for new graphic novels.
I have only read one graphic novel in my life, Art Spiegelman’s Maus, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I was excited to have another graphic novel experience. I checked out Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha Vol.1 the first of six volumes. This novel is a fascinating take on the life of the Buddha and Tezuka weaves historical fact with fictional characters of his own.
I loved it; I read the nearly 400-page book in one sitting. I immediately went on to the library’s website
http://www.usfca.edu/library to see if the rest of the series was available. To my dismay, they were not in the collection. My disappointment did not last long as I remembered the suggestion box. I ran to the library and gave them my two cents.