Young Adult and Graphic Novels

I have a big secret to share: my favorite flavor of ice cream is vanilla.

I can definitely be happy with a big bowl of strawberry or mint chocolate chip or butter pecan ice cream. And I've had pleasant times with blackberry, butterscotch, and even banana ice creams. But if we're talking favorites, it's hard to beat vanilla. And that's pure, unadulterated vanilla, without chocolate syrup or chopped nuts or anything. Just that creamy and delicious, classic taste really hits the spot for me any time of year.

You wouldn't believe how contentious this preference has been.

Upon learning my secret, several people have told me, to my face, that vanilla ice cream is:

• Plain
• Default
• Boring
• Bland
• Nasty
• Needs more flavors to be worth consuming

Now you see why I keep it a secret. But guess what all that vanilla hate has done to change my preferences? Absolutely nothing. At the end of the day, I still like what I like.

Like our misunderstood friend vanilla ice cream, young adult (YA) literature and graphic novels often come under fire; for some, these groups of books don't qualify as "quality literature for adults," whatever that means. Below I present some tips for how librarians can ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels with the help of some parallels to frozen dairy treats: the library is the ice cream parlor, YA lit and graphic novels are the delicious vanilla ice cream, and you, dear librarian reader, are the terribly overqualified employee behind the counter in a brightly colored (albeit uncomfortable) uniform. Let's dig in.

Tip #1: Have YA literature and graphic novels in your collection.

This might seem obvious, but how can I possibly order a double scoop of vanilla ice cream when there simply isn't any vanilla ice cream in the building? Just as the parlor's choice to buy vanilla ice cream communicates to the haters know that it's still a dessert worth buying (like I said, Dad), the decision to incorporate these materials into a library's collection legitimizes these works as "real" books and worth checking out. There is power in how a library decides to allocate its budget, and in how it decides to utilize the funds in that budget. Libraries send the message that they value YA literature and graphic novels by adding them to the collection. 

Tip #2: Be familiar with these items.

Suppose you were one of these sad, anti-vanilla individuals as an ice cream server. How would you feel when an individual with great taste orders vanilla? Do you think your feelings might change if you tried a sample of the French Vanilla or Vanilla Bean ice creams that the parlor sells? You still might not like it, but you may be able to relate to vanilla aficionados a little bit more.

This is not to suggest that any librarian need read every book in their collection; such a lofty goal is unrealistic and unfeasible. (However, if I worked in an ice cream parlor, you better believe that I would try every single flavor. But I digress.) As we read broadly as librarians—dipping our toes into various genres, age groups, and formats—we are better able to understand the appeal of certain groups of books and make recommendations to our patrons. If you personally look down on a group of books, whether it be YA literature, graphic novels, or a specific genre like Romance or Hard Sci-Fi, try reading a work or two from the group. To take it a step further, discuss the works with a colleague who loves the literature in question and ask them what aspects draw them in. You may or may not discover a new favorite, but you'll surely discover empathy, the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

Tip #3: Include these materials in reader's advisory.

The bright-eyed child who is nearly overwhelmed with options may have a difficult time deciding which flavor to get after their Little League victory. Suppose this particularly indecisive youngster is entirely beset by the number of options behind the window. What do you think would happen if the clerk suggested Bubblegum Blast? What if they suggest Orange Mango Tango? What if they suggest Prune and Black Walnut? (Okay, that last one may be more popular among those with a more mature palate, but my point still stands.)

Library patrons are often at least somewhat impressionable to the recommendations that librarians make. What's more, the works we recommend are given an air of legitimacy by sheer virtue of the fact that we recommended them. "Surely," the patron thinks, "this professional would not offer me anything less than the literary crème de la crème." 

Please note that this concept also applies to passive readers' advisory interactions, such as displays and book lists. When we include YA literature and graphic novels in our readers' advisory interactions, we legitimize them as we encourage our patrons to expand their horizons and read the whole collection.

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These three tips can help librarians ensure that we can serve all of our patrons who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels, regardless of their age or any other status. And to everyone who doesn't like YA literature, graphic novels, or vanilla ice cream, I say: that's fine. Just don't rain on the parade of those who have tastes different from yours. Everyone should be free to read the books they like, and to eat the ice cream they like, and heck, even to do both at the same time.