Can We Talk About These Graphic Novels?

Abstract

This chapter describes the findings of several qualitative research studies conducted with school librarians in the Southeast United States about their views and use of graphic novels in their collections. Of particular focus is the ways in which school librarians enact censorship and self-censorship with this format and, most importantly, why librarians feel it necessary to initiate censorial actions. The implications of such actions are discussed, including librarians' loss of control in collection development decisions, denying students' rights to read and first amendment rights, the use of technology to identify controversial material, literacy shaming, and the potential reinstitution of the Comics Code Authority.