Elaine’s Reviews > Comics and Critical Librarianship: Reframing the Narrative in Academic Libraries > Status Update

Show examples, especially other mini-comics, especially by other students.
Network with artists involved in self-publishing, to sit down as peers in the group: an artist is an artist, regardless of experience. Empowering.

Drawing ability optional. Small details on a stick figure can make a difference tho. Exercise: draw self portrait, or states of mind with just lines.

Comic-making workshops. History of comix as personal story, not in mainstream.


Theme can help reduce intimidation of blank page (e.g. concepts of home, self-care, dreams, personal history).

Get people talking, don't just leave to brainstorm and make. Casual convo during simple activity like paper folding... Drop stress, warm participants to reach other, feel safe.

One page, no staple.

Jonathan Valelly: "A lot of artists find limits really productive. That's why the haiku is really exciting, because you have really strict rules to follow. And while I don't always go for the rules, having a line of questioning that at first seems kind of tough can be good."

God, I wish more of our classes all focused on a single topic/subject like this! It seems like a more robust experience can be created by the librarian.

Instead, we always have assignments for which students are doing individual topics, and hardly anyone is similar, let alone the same. Yes, yes, they get to have more connection with their chosen topic. I'm just saying, it sucks for digging in in a one-shot.

Page from graphic novels, non Euro perspective. Students map concepts, try to find an article, a book... Conversations with groups about challenges and why info available or not.

I'd like to see a LOT more conversation around the Prof feedback of "nice lesson but want more actual skill dev" before getting into socio-political aspects of info (esp for 1st yr).

Yes! These ideas are great but hard to fit context!

Visualizing Arguments activity: students render dense journal articles as comic panel narratives. Break down article, parse argument structure, and consider the sources author engaged with.

1st try, one-shot: did example, students used to define methods of incorp others' arguments. Then gave them a 2-sent claim & asked to imagine, then draw using that claim in their writing.

Discussed arbitrariness of citation styles. Students worked in groups to develop their own systems of citation, which they then explained to class.

Citation needs to be learned through lots of practice. Boring repetition.

Oh, and an earlier essay made praising reference to a Harvard Prof using comics in the class to get the students warmed up on close, critical reading before the Literature reading.

2 authors, 2 POVs, sure... But interesting to note. I get the impression this author would grit his teeth over that.

I wonder if there have been studies on the development of reading and thinking skills, literature vs sequential art.

I know the thesis here is defending the literary value and use of comics, but c'mon... Some books ARE junky beach reads. They might still have merit as a lens through viewing our cultural (like another essay mentioned romance novels are controversial as field of study), BUT.

Just because not all comics are puerile trash doesn't mean they're not truly more accessible to read...and some are even "beach reads."