TwentySevenLetters / B

Chaos Theory

A couple of times a week, I go downstairs and check on the YA section. I straighten it up, re-shelve some books that are strewn about, put the graphic novels back in order, and fill up the face-out shelving with whatever strikes my fancy. (Generally, I try to keep about half of it stocked with graphic novels.) But despite my best efforts, every time I’m down there, the graphic novel shelf is a mess again. It’s all out of order, some books upside-down or backwards, some books on the table or chairs or windowsill.

At first, it bugged me. After all, how hard is it to put things back where they belonged? The circulation records say that they’re not even going out all that much (since February, a couple of times each, nothing amazing—kind of mediocre, actually), so I can’t even say “maybe the shelver didn’t realize they should be in order.”

But then I realized something. They’re all out of order and strewn about because—duh!—people are reading them. Even if they’re not taking the books home, the collection is getting some pretty heavy use. A graphic novel takes a lot less time than a prose novel to read, so chances are good that people are taking one off the shelf to read while they wait for a computer, or a friend, or a bus. Then they finish it, and don’t need to take it home. It happens all the time, and it leaves the collection a bit of a disaster.

Chaos is good!

Reluctant Readers

A man came in a little while ago, asking if we had any heavily-illustrated books. “Not picture books,” he said. “Like… well, sort of like comics. Like Graphic Classics.”

I directed him downstairs to the YA section, and told him that there’s a shelf of graphic novels down there, and that there are two books that are graphic adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe, among other books. He ran off in that general direction.

He came back a couple of minutes later to pick up another book on reserve, and very excitedly told me, “there’s a whole shelf of comics there!” I mentioned that there are more on order that just haven’t arrived yet, and to keep checking back. He took out one of the Edgar Allan Poe, volume 5 of Bone, a Teen Titans book, and one of the How to Draw Manga books. “Anything to get these kids to read some text!” he said.

He liked my collection, and will likely use it again. And it’s a bit more anecdotal evidence for the Comics Are Good For Reluctant Readers theory. Hooray!

Hive Mind, Part 2

I’m planning another booklist, but I’m having some difficulty picking titles for it. The theme of this list isn’t any particular genre or style, but rather just obscure titles that really deserve more attention. I’m pulling some of the shelf-sitters in our collection, but I’m not coming up with all that much. What I’m really looking for are quality books that even our most voracious readers haven’t read.

So, what are your childhood favorites that no one else remembers? (Mine are Whistle in the Graveyard, a collection of ghost-and-ghoul folktales, and Sid Fleischman’s By the Great Horn Spoon!, an adventure story of a boy and butler stowing away on a boat from Boston to San Francisco, to seek their fortune in the California Gold Rush.)

Misc. Repost: Webcomics Examiner Essay Contest

The Webcomics Examiner has announced a fun little event for their summer issue--an essay contest designed to inspire creativity more than accuracy in comics theory. I’m thinking about participating, though I haven’t made any big decisions yet. Details below.

For our June 13th issue, The Webcomics Examiner is conducting an essay contest called The Triangulation Challenge. The object of the contest is to inspire new ideas about webcomic art; it’s not intended to be taken seriously.

Rules:

1. The writer picks three webcomics; the writer can use any criteria they want for picking them. One technique, for instance, is to have a friend pick them for you.

2. Using the three webcomics as a reference, the writer invents a Grand Theory of Webcomics, i.e., a theory of some sort that seemingly applies to many other webcomics.

3. The writer should invent the theory only after picking the three comics.

4. It is permissible for the theory to be impossible, satirical, or surreal.

5. The theory need not be specific to webcomics.

6. The writer should give the theory a name.

7. The writer need not believe the theory, but in the essay they should play the devil's advocate and defend it to the hilt.

8. The length of the essay is entirely dependent on what the writer needs to explain. It could be only a few paragraphs, or it could be several thousand words.

9. The first draft of the essay must be completed within two hours. Polishing,
embellishing, and looking up references may be done afterwards. Any amount of polishing and embellishing is allowed after the two hours, but the basic idea should emerge from the two-hour brainstorm.

10. The winner of the competition is the writer who comes up with the most useful theory, “useful” being a highly subjective term.

11. The best entries will be published in The Webcomics Examiner and will be submitted to a panel of judges who will pick a winner. No prizes, but buckets of glory!

12. All entries should be sent to Joe Zabel (joezabel at yahoo dot com). Entries MUST be received by midnight, June 3rd to allow the judges time for their deliberations before we publish on June 13th. Remember that deadline– it’s just over two weeks from today!

I’d appreciate it if interested writers contacted me to let me know they’re planning to take part.

Miscellaneous Re-post : Everything Must Go

Lifted, nearly word-for-word, from Alexander’s blog:

For several years, we published a literary magazine called Shades of December. It started as a slightly silly underground college mag, but developed a much more serious identity over the course of its publication. We published some fine poets and fiction writers, and once we went online, we published some fine webcomics as well. We even received an honorable mention in the Literary category of Writers' Digest Magazine's first Zine publishing awards. You can see some of our archives here. (Archives are probably a bit wonky—this site hasn't been maintained for several years.)

But now it's been several years since we ceased publishing, and we still have two big boxes of unsold issues. And we're tired of moving them around from apartment to apartment, so the whole lot needs to go. Thing is, I hate the thought of just throwing them all out. We worked hard on Shades of December, and we published some very talented writers. Not to mention all the money we spent printing the things.

So here's the deal—if anyone reading this enjoys reading contemporary poetry, just send me your address, and I'll send you a stack of Shades of December. No charge. I'll even cover the shipping. I really just want to know that some of these copies are going to people who might actually read them, instead of having to dump them all in the trash.

E-mail alexander ((at)) twentysevenletters ((dot)) com.

More content!

My notes for our Teen Summer Reading Program are up in the Programs section. This year’s theme is Game On!, which involves all manners of gaming—board, party, sports, television, role-playing, computer, mind, improv, whatever. The TSRP at this branch will run for 6 weeks, and you may notice that there are 14 events planned in that time. This is probably suicidal on my part, but I’m hoping to come out of it with a core group of teens that I can turn into my Advisory Board.

Also, I’m hoping that already publicizing these 14 programs will make me indispensable here, since nobody is going to want to take over 2+ teen events per week. Even though most of them, admittedly, involve no more work than putting out food and letting them talk amongst themselves.

Check back this summer for details on how well any of these programs go. I still don't fully know what I'm doing, so no idea is too stupid to try at least once.

A Dose of Adorability, or, Pod Children

Thursday morning, post-storytime. 2 young girls (the older about 3; the younger almost 1) chasing each other around the room. Whenever the older catches the younger, they hug fiercely, then run again. Mom finally says, "What are you doing? Stop running in the library!"

Older girl replies, "I’m sorry, Mommy. She’s just being so squeezable!"

Career Paths

Things I am not:

• Secretary
• Teacher
• Vending machine
• Super sleuth
• Time traveler
• All-purpose information booth

Things people think I am:

Secretary.

Actual telephone conversation (there are several more similar to this):

“Hi, is my son Danny there? Blond hair, red jacket?”

“Yes, he’s here. Would you like to speak to him?”

“No, just give him a message. Tell him he was supposed to call me when he got there and I’ve been waiting 45 minutes, and if he’s not going to USE that cell phone we’re going to take it away. And tell him that if this happens a second time—“

“uh… hang on. Danny? Come talk to your mom.”

Teacher.

At 8:55 PM tonight, after a child has selected a few movies he’d like to check out (and deliberated over these choices for some time), Mom finally checks his homework.

“You didn’t finish this? You need to do it right now. She’ll help you.” [Pushes the kid my direction.] “Get her to help you.”

“I’m sorry; we’re closing up in 5 minutes, and we don’t have anyone here to do one-on-one homework help.”

“You can help him.”

“No, I really can’t. I’m not a teacher, a tutor, or anything like that, and I’m trying to close up the room.”

“You’re still open now.” [Pushes the kid toward me again.] “She’ll help you.”

(I have no idea what the kid’s assignment was; something with making up words involving specific letters. I handed him a dictionary, and have no idea why couldn’t Mom help him. Except that Mom is apparently an idiot with an entitlement complex.)

Vending Machine.

[Child enters and thrusts her library card at me.] “Charlotte’s Web.”

“E.B. White. What about it?”

[staring at me and speaking slowly, as if I’m hopelessly dumb] “I want to check it out.”

Super sleuth.

“I can’t find this book on the shelf, and the catalog says it’s missing. Where is it?”

“Sir, if we knew that, it wouldn’t be marked ‘missing.’”

“Can't you find it?”

“We gave it a try, and failed. That’s why it says ‘missing’ in the catalog.”

Time Traveler.

8:45 PM (15 minutes to closing)

“Do you have this book?”

“I’m sorry, we don’t own that title. We could order it for you from another branch; it would be here in a couple of days.”

“That’s no good; I need it tonight. What branches have it?”

[Read off the list of branches.] “We are the only branch open this late, though. You could pick it up in the morning from there, if you wanted.”

“But I need it tonight! Can’t you get it?”

“The other libraries are closed, and even if they were open, I can’t go across town to pick it up for you. You can get it in the morning from them, or we can order it here, but that will take a few days.”

“How do I get it tonight?”

“You could go to Borders; I think they’re open until 11.”

All-purpose information booth.

“Good evening, Children’s Room.”

“Hi, what can you tell me about the Asperger’s seminar?”

“… Offhand, nothing. I can transfer you downstairs to the adult Reference department; if this is an event we’re hosting, they’ll probably know something.”

“There’s going to be a guest speaker for it. You don’t know about the seminar?”

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t think it was arranged through the Children’s department. Would you like to be transferred downstairs?”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll call the Asperger’s Foundation. That’s where it’s listed, and they’re hosting it.”

Nobody seems to think I’m a ninja.

It's Harvey, Harvey, Harvey the Comic Awards

The ballot for the 2005 Harvey Awards is available!

I’m happy to report that Andy Runton is up for Best New Talent and Best New Series for Owly. Congratulations also to Leslie Stein for her Best New Talent nomination for Yeah, It Is!, which I read on Serializer.net, and will continue to read when Serializer stops being broken (which should be within the next week). I’m a little bummed at Seth's two nominations (Best Letterer and Best Inker) for Palookaville, because Palookaville deserves much more than just that. Clyde Fans gets a nod for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work, but it’s up against the one-volume Bone and the collected American Elf, so I’m not holding my breath for a win there (though I’d like to see one anyway).

It’s worth pointing out, though, that under “Special Award for Excellence in Presentation” is The Complete Peanuts 1950-1952, for which Seth did the book design because Seth is awesome, so I’ll stop sulking over the lettering and inking. Unfortunately, it’s up against In The Shadow of No Towers, and it’s impossible to criticize any book or movie about the Holocaust or September 11th, even if it really isn’t a good book or movie.

Overall, I think they made some pretty good choices on the ballot. There’s nothing that makes me shake my head and say “why on earth did they pick that?” I’m sure I’ll be saying that after the awards are given to the (almost certainly, clearly inferior) nominees, but I’ll get over it. Especially because I had nothing to do with the creation of anything nominated, so I’m nothing more than a spectator.

Order fulfillment = wish fulfillment

When I first placed my order for a bunch of comics lo those many moons ago, there were some that never made it into the catalog as “on order.” Some came in and the collection has grown to take up a little better than half the shelf. Others (like volumes 2-4 of Bone) were kicked back as being no longer available from either of our fulfillment houses. I didn’t get all the slips back, but I’ve been assuming that the others that never made it to the catalog were similarly unavailable, or got rejected for some reason.

So imagine my surprise when the last set of new books came in, and among them were volumes 1 and 2 of Mars, by Fuyumi Soryo! This leaves only 8 titles from my original list that remain a mystery. Though the fifty titles written neatly on order slips back in January are still languishing somewhere, untouched, unordered, unloved. When last I asked, the holdup was budget in other branches, but I have no idea how much longer it’s going to be.

I added some donations to the collection, which helps to fluff it out a bit. That was Friday afternoon that they hit the shelves, and already half of them are out. Most were learn-to-draw books (draw Manga Villains! Draw video-game art! Draw Japanese fantasy worlds! Draw… crappily, frankly), but I’m glad to see that they’re getting some interest, too. There was also a Vertigo Visions book that I fudged a bit—the donated version seems to be a re-release of a previous title. It’s not the identical book, but it’s close enough. Anyway, the alternative was to send it downtown for cataloging along with some other donations that weren’t in the system, but Cataloging gets backed up and I’ll never see them again. Given that the Vertigo book went off the shelf before I’d finished putting the rest on the shelf, I think I made the right decision.

There have been a few kids who have come into the children’s room asking for comics, and they’ve all been very surprised that I knew the term “graphic novel.” (Useful when narrowing down what they’re looking for: a book of strips, like Calvin and Hobbes, or actual GNs?) So I know the collection is getting some traffic from younger kids, too. This means that I’m going to order some younger titles, things I’d wanted for the children’s room but am tired of waiting for, and I think will have some appeal anyway to the younger readers. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking of Amelia Rules!, Owly, Alison Dare. More Ultimate Spider-Man, which I haven’t seen any of but would swear I ordered.

The circulation staff has clued me in that the GNs are circulating pretty well with teens and adults, so I’d like to put more in the collection for the grown-ups, like more of Andi Watson’s work (specifically Breakfast After Noon) or Paul Hornschemeier’s brilliant but tragic Mother, Come Home (even though it’s a shelf-sitter at all three other owning libraries). But the books are in the YA section and are classified as YA, so everything that goes in there should still be age-appropriate—and we don’t see any older YAs; they cap out around 15 or 16.

This might be an argument for taking the graphic novels out of the teen area and making a special collection code for them, which would help me with statistics. Which would prove that I should move them into a new area, which would give me statistics, which would prove that I should move them into a new recursive loop.

Odds and Ends

Those who remember the Crazy Lady Who Wants a Job Here will be amused to know that the Crazy Lady still comes in. All. The. Time. Because currently she’s trying to start up a new library at the Jewish Community Center, and she’s asked us to put together a bibliography of good Jewish books. In other words, this mostly-retired librarian—who wants to be a librarian again badly enough that she’s willing to start her own library—wants somebody else to build her starter collection.

This hasn’t been her only question; she also asks for books on knights, fractured fairy tales (“do you know what those are? That’s when somebody takes a normal fairy tale and makes it different. Like The Stinky Cheese Man, but I already have that. Do you have The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig? Because that’s a fractured fairy tale.”), princesses… and every time, I am amazed—appalled, even!—that this wannabe librarian either cannot or will not use the catalog on her own.

Second! It seems I’ve been linked by Trusty Plinko Stick for being a blog ostensibly about comics. I’ve been mainly sticking with library things lately, and for that, TPS, I’m sorry. But I appreciate that you’ve thrown 16 readers my way, if my site stats are to be trusted. Thanks for reading! Incidentally, according to your minimalist bio in your sidebar, you’re a “library circulation desk monkey,” probably somewhere in your home state of Rhode Island. This means that there’s a good chance I know you, since I work for PPL. Have we met? I don’t recognize your photo, except to say that I don’t recall having met any desk clerks resembling Scott McCloud in LegoLand.

Lastly, there will be another post later about comics in the library, or comics in general. I haven’t decided yet. But I’d like to give Plinko’s readers what they’re coming for, since they about doubled my readership. And what’s a girl to do but sell out to her fan base?