Manga in the library

[annefenwood]

So I posted a survey, which was against the rule My bad.

Anyway, I still am curious what other people's libraries are like when it comes to manga collections.

The collection at my library is split between children, teen and adult. I can understand why they have to do it that way, but sometimes I feel silly when I wander over to childrens to pick up a few Yotsuba to read.

Mostly I stick to the teen library, they have alot of series that I read and the librarians are pretty good about updating them.

Anyway, just wondering what everyone else thinks about manga in their library. I know when I really get into a manga I just get it from a bit torrent. Half the time the fansubs are better anyway. But I use the library to check out old manga that I've read already and to just see what else I might be interested in.

[Vexx]

Our nearest library has a ragtag manga collection. Rarely is there a complete series available to even check out. They aren't separated by age, but put into an aisle called the "World/International" section.

Personally, if I were a librarian I'd either make them "reference only" (kept in the library at all times) or not even bother. From a librarian perspective, paperbacks have a terribly short lifespan if handled a lot and don't last long in a library. Out-of-print items may also have a higher tendency to vanish.

Anime, particular the "perfect collection" sets have a better chance of maintenance and survival in a library setting. Our library has a fair number but they are mostly the "shounen" noisy action ones. There's the usual Disney-Miyazaki mainstream also. Don't remember seeing any rom-com, drama, or adult works.

There may be a *need* for such items in libraries, but libraries thrive on donations --- and I guess its rare for someone to donate their manga or anime collection.

[-Kh-]

I haven't been to the Liverpool City Library for about 2 years now, but they used to have a considerable good section of Graphic Novels. The last I remember was about to 10 bookshelves, they might been increased lately.

I used to go there as soon as I arrived to live here to read and borrow mangas, back in 2002 there weren't many Mangas, mostly Comics, but the ratio increased as time passed. I believe the Comics should still be more than the Mangas, but there is enough variety to choose from, specially since they get new titles rather often.

Oh, and the childs book are somewhere else, they're not in the Graphic Novels section.

[Shadow Kira01]

Manga in the library? I haven't visited my local libraries for quite some time. I didn't realize that some libraries actually have a manga collection. That is quite a good idea to boost the otaku culture but in terms of the students...

I hope their grades won't get a significant drop. Obviously, when there are mangas in the library, who would actually spent time studying textbooks? Perhaps, I would but still.. Mangas in the library as an idea sounds great!

[SeijiSensei]

It's a bit out of date, but this is a page about manga and anime for librarians.

[-KarumA-]

manga in our libraries, there is none

[Solafighter]

I dont think, that there are mangas in my local town library.

Only visited it once, many many years ago. I prefer to go into the magazine shops in airports. They have a bigger range about mangas.

[klowny]

The library around my block has manga such as skip beat, fruits basket, high school debut, dragon ball Z,death note, naruto, Etc. i haven't been there for years (no surprise there) and i finally checked it out. It was shocking at first but i guess it's normal to find manga in the library, after all it makes kids read

[Claies]

My library's collection disproportionately leans towards the shoujo genre. I don't even know half of the titles (besides the easy ones like Fruits Basket), so I simply didn't bother.

Public libraries will never have good enough collections. The best bet for these in America is some sort of "manga cafe" that holds nothing but manga, and you'd have to rent them (as in pay a certain amount and receive it back when you return them) as opposed to normally lending them out.

[Astrana]

When I was in Elementry school I loved my library
they have 20+ volume of Saint Saya Myth Cloth
hidden in the corner muahahahahahaha

[Nochgo]

Hmm.. I don't remember seeing any manga in my local public library. My college library certainly don't have them though, unless I'm not looking hard enough. Beside, I'd prefer to buy the mangas anyway, because if there were manga in the library, I don't think I would return the mangas after I check them out especially if I like them

[shinryou]

My uni's library obviously don't have it... but the local library has some... mostly shonen and childrens stuff....

[annefenwood]

My university library collects rare and 'famous' manga. So the award winning stuff is stored there. (And it is usually hard to find) My public library has a good selection within the teen library. And I think that it probably has the highest in library use. Alot of the kids after school hang out there and will pick out stacks of manga and just read them.

It's surprising that alot of people don't think to go check out their library to see what they have. I know alot of them are getting better. But of course some libraries don't have the funding or sometimes the librarians don't even know that their would be a demand for it. Usually when I talk to the librarians they don't know much about manga/anime. But they are always willing to listen to any requests you might have. (As long as you are nice of course)

A library focused just on containing manga would be interesting. I know that in Thailand they have them. So they probably have them in Japan and other asian countries. I don't know if people would be willing to pay a fee ever time though. Maybe for a year long membership for a certain number of items.

Some of the libraries I know have anime clubs. They get together and discuss and watch various anime. That seems like a lot of fun. My library also hosted an event that had someone come and teach how to draw manga. And that was alot of fun! Of course hosting a con at a library would be impossible, but It hink it would be a good centralized place to organize meetings. Would you guys go to somehting like that? Or what kind of events would you want have at a library?

[~ Lawliet ~]

There's a very small area that has only about twenty volumes.

[Godai-AK]

Probably over 40 volumes or so around here. They have the entire run of Love Hina, a bunch of Naruto and Fruits Basket and a handful of others.

[Bane Rieko]

Well don't I feel special now! My library has over 50 or 60 titles, and don't make me try to count volumes.

I live in anime town apparently. We have two libraries, at the main branch there's more manga and you have to walk through the teen computers to get to it.

The new branch is smaller and it's on the wall next to teens as well.

[X207]

mine has a small section: 3 short shelves. been a while sine ive been there but quite a few are french also. maybe 20 max big title sections and then some smaller collections.

[dragon4dudes]

Mine has an expansive collection under the name of Visual Novels. As a result, American comics are mixed into the collection. anyways, there are quite a bit of manga titles, popular ones such as Naruto and Bleach, and some of Love Hina and others not so known such as Kazan. The library is subscribed to Shounen/Shoujo Jump.

[kyousukey]

I think libraries should stock manga, Maybe not as much as other books and stuff because it isnt a popular but at least have a small section for it. The library in my town has a few manga's but not many.

[KimmyChan]

The collection of manga in my local library is no way near big enough as far as I'm concerned