Frequently Asked Questions

Unshelved #6

by Gene Ambaum, Bill Barnes

No one gets asked questions more frequently than a librarian, and no librarian answers them with more attitude than Dewey! The latest Unshelved collection features a year's worth of daily comics and Conference Tips, plus the full-color Unshelved Book Club. Also features the Great Plastic Coffee Cup Lid Challenge between Unshelved and Sheldon, refereed by comics journalist Gary Tyrrell.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Humor, Fiction, Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Books About Books

136 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2008

About the author

I write Unshelved with Bill Barnes. I've worked as a paper boy, auto mechanic, courier, English teacher, operations manager, teen services librarian, and staff development coordinator. I enjoy a wide range of graphic novels and am currently obsessed with the work of Lewis Trondheim, Emmanuel Guibert, Hope Larson, and Kazu Kibuishi. My favorite book without words is Owly The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer by Andy Runton. My favorite book without pictures is Ursula LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea.

Reviews

[Scottsdale Public Library]

A collection of comics about libraries and libraries? Yes, please!

I really enjoyed reading this collection of Unshelved comics. Even if you don't work at the library, you can still enjoy the workplace comic as well as the collection of illustrated "book talks" at the end of the book.

A fun read for librarians of course, but also for anyone who loves books! – Diana F.

[Emily]

The "book talks" section is an interesting time capsule of books that were buzzy in 2008.

[Mallory]

If you have ever worked in a library, you will relish the humor here. My only complaint is I wasn't a fan of the "Book Club" section toward the end.

[Diana Flores]

Perfect for librarians, those that frequently visit libraries, and book lovers in general!

[Maggie]

Love the booktalks at the end.

[Emmy]

As of late, my favorite part of these anthologies is the book recommendations at the end. I've been adding quite a few to my list! I can't wait to see what else Bill and Gene have to recommend!

[Rex Libris]

Some of the better strips in this collection:

Buffy-related joke with a punch line "Once more with feeling"

Dewey tortures his vegan co-worker by eating a shrimp.

The return of Randy the Librarian.

A comparison of the library versus the internet, where the internet trump card is a video of a hamster playing bagpipes.

Doreen's daughter loving her 7 volume medical reference set Christmas present.

[Ron]

FAQ is another fun set of adventures in Mallville Public Library with the gang of Dewey and company. Do read for the Library shenanigans, but also for the book reviews in the form of a one-page comic panel.

[Karrie Stewart]

Still as funny as the first one.

[James]

I always forget about the book "reviews". I invariably keep adding more to the to-read pile.

[E.]

A very funny addition to this series. Would have been a 4.5 if there hadn’t been so many book pitches at the end.

[annie ♥️]

I look forward the day that I get my MLIS so that I can best answer the question: “where is the bathroom”
I would love that frequently asked questions shirt

[Erik]

Since their first Unshelved collection, I’ve flat-out laughed my butt off to the wacky antics of the Mallville library staff. Between Dewey’s irreverent and snarky comebacks -- at patrons and fellow staff alike -- and Buddy the Book Beaver’s “Read, Dam it!” summer reading campaign, Ambaum & Barnes’ have giggled me into many a conniption fit. But this sixth volume, if I may be so honest, left me less than lukewarm. It’s not just the less-than-witty daily strips, but also the tepid “Conference Tips” and full-page book reviews in the back that failed to not just tickle my funny bone, but – in the case of the last – inspire me to load up my library holds queue.

On the upside, this being my first purchased Unshelved collection (I’ve gotten all previous ones from my friendly neighborhood library), I did get it signed by Barnes while at the San Diego Comic-Con last month – along with a snappy-looking “Bibliovore” t-shirt they were offering. My only “frequently asked question” to Ambaum & Barnes would be: Will the next volume be better? I can only hope.

[Kit]

I don't know if Unshelved is as funny a comic if you don't work in a library, but I can say definitively that if you *do* work in a library, it is freakin' hilarious. Dewey, the slacker-savant youth librarian, is a role model for youth librarians everywhere. And the bonus full-color Unshelved Book Club entries at the back of the book are great suggestions for what to read when you're not reading Unshelved.

[Duane]

Working at a library, the comic strips in this book hit right on the mark. From unruly patrons, silly reference questions, to budget shortcuts, the authors do a great job of getting behind-the-scenes humor that happens everyday at the library. This volume isn't as good as others I've read in the past though. The "Plastic Coffee Lid" section was very boring. I'd have much rather seen more comic strips.

[Hannah]

Book talks and comics and unreasonable requests, oh my! Barnes and Ambaum write more of what continues to be a fantastic comic strip! This collection contains lots of guest strips and features to keep it original and exciting. And the book talks continue, of course, of which I'm becoming a huge fan! This comic strip is providing hours of amusement for me, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys comic strips, libraries, or books in general.

[Kerrikoala]

One-third of this is book recommendations...but I do want to read some of them now! (MONKEY FACES--hahaha.) I liked the comic strips in this one a lot, and the Plastic Coffee Cup Lid Comic Strip Battle was interesting.

I read a library copy of this, and some of the pages had weird stains on them. They weren't on the pages that have the strips about patrons using strange things for bookmarks that leave stains and stuff on the pages, though.

[Elizabeth]

If you have ever worked in a library this book will have some ringing truths in it. The weird people that hang out in libraries and how library bureaucracy works. I do find it gets surreal in parts, even for a cartoon strip. I think the real funny stuff comes from the stories that are close to real life.

[Mary]

A comic strip set in a public library -- what's not to love? As a bookseller, I feel at home with these people. Anyone who works with the public will be tickled by this. A good laugh. You can visit these guys on the web too:

www.unshelved.com

[Katie]

Since I work in a library, I love these books! This latest edition is all about the sometimes mundane questions that any clerk who has worked the refrence desk is asked...often. :0) I will never tire of reading them and sharing a giggle with my co-workers.

[Desiree]

I found this in my local library and was excited! I love books, libraries and bookstores, so I figured it would be a perfect book for me! I was disappointed. I didn't really find many of the strips funny. Also, I was hoping for more of a story rather than a bunch of disjointed strips...

[Melody]

I love this comic which I generally read online. What's not to like about a strip set in a library? This collection didn't disappoint. I laughed and giggled my way all the way through it. I especially liked the hand-drawn strips and the book review panels. If you're a book geek you might like this.

[Tammy]

Daily comics collected into book form. Unshelved is set in a public library. Staff members include Dewey, who works reference and teen services; Tamara, the sunny children's librarian; Mel, the library director, and Buddy the Book Beaver.

[Rebekah]

My reviews of this series has already established that I once worked retail. It is very therapeutic to read Dewey's responses to stupid customer questions because if I had ever had half the attitude Dewey does I would have been fired on the spot.

[Susan]

More cartoons (and the great one-page book reviews) from the staff and patrons at the Mallville Public Library. But I don't believe that branch manager Mel would really rearrange the books for easier access, do I?

[Brownd2]

the entire collection is amusing...several "strips" hit the nail on the head...to say the least it portrays the wonderful humor, unique, and often unbelievable experiences that one experiences while working in the public library sector...great tales of life in the library...

[Emily]

Great prep for an upcoming booktalk assignment I have to do!

[Shari]

I met the authors at Timberland Regional Library's All Staff Day 2008. They autographed this book.

[Kate]

Library tip #38: An eye for an eye, but not a book for a book.

[Jessica]

Funny as always. The rating would have been higher, but I've already read all of the online.