Enticing teenagers into the library
I'm a PhD candidate at Curtin University of Technology and my thesis is currently under examination. I investigated teenagers' reading and library use, encompassing their reading of graphic novels, and graphic novel collections in public libraries in Australia. My supervisors are Dr Maggie Exon from the Department of Information Studies and Dr Helen Merrick from the Department of Internet Studies.
I post updates of my research project to my research blog.
Why study graphic novels?
Graphic novels are becoming more prevalent and popular among teenagers and thus are being collected by public and school libraries.
There are numerous reasons for the current popularity of graphic novels. Young people today are much more attuned to visual means of communication, as they have grown up
with television and computers. Anime (Japanese animation) is shown on pay-TV and young people seek out the manga (Japanese comics) which are published simultaneously. Teachers are using graphic novels to develop visual literacy, an important skill for success in today's visual world. Both librarians and
teachers are advocating graphic novels to encourage recreational reading, levels of which may decrease as children become teenagers.
The Australia-wide Read Around Oz Reading Club for summer 2007/08 had the theme Superhero Summer. This was offered at public libraries for school age children and their families.
Graphic novels are increasingly reviewed in library and general review sources, and in some sources are treated as just another aspect of contemporary writing.
Throughout my research and this site I discuss graphic novels for teenagers, but there are graphic novels for all age groups, so whoever you are, you'll be able to find a graphic novel to entice you.
My background
I am a librarian, most recently working in Young Peoples Services in public libraries in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia.
