LISNews: Librarian News

How Did the Comic Book Get Its Start? You Ask? Well, The origins of the comic book are somewhat controversial and perhaps the jury is still out.

So The Manila Mail goes back to the cartoonish broadsheets of the Middle Ages, which were parchment products, created by anonymous woodcutters. As mass circulation of these broadsheets became possible, they soon developed a market, particularly at public executions, popular events for centuries (ugh), which drew thousands of happy spectators.

From down in New Zealand comes news of a petition calling for reasonable censorship at the library. Julie Gordon, a mother of five and part-time secondary school teacher, has previously complained to the Wanganui Library staff about the explicit nature of some of the titles but her complaints have brought little or no change.
"Some of these comics showed sexual activity in detail, and as a teacher this concerns me a great deal," she told the Chronicle.

stevenj writes "The Family Circus cartoon for Jan. 27 is another classic. Since FC isn't online until a month after the comic appears in print (just open up the newspaper folks) here's the gist of the cartoon. Billy and Dolly are coming out of the library. Dolly says to Billy "To be a librarian, all you have to learn is how to say "SHH!". We all know Dolly isn't the brightest light on the comics page, but now she's spreading that old librarian stereotype. I think this calls for Leslie Burger to lay the smackdown on Bill Keane. It could be worse. Maybe next month Dolly will touch off a real firestorm by telling Jeffy "I may be dumb, but I'm a lot smarter than all those librarian bloggers.""

Anonymous Patron writes "Baltimore Comic Con
September 9 and 10, 2006
September 9th is Educators and Librarians Day Sat. from 10-6; Sun 10-5
Sat. Sept. 9th librarians and educators get in free with ID and their children get in free too!
They will get discounts from the pubs and vendors--the list of creators is on the website
Autographing sessions with big name creators and artists
There are panel discussion about graphic novels in libraries and education

Be sure to attend the grand opening of Geppi's Entertainment Museum as well and see the history of comics publishing.

The highlight of the convention are the Harvey Awards for comics and graphic novels.

Allyson A.W. Lyga will moderate the panel discussion for librarians and educators;
Educator, Consultant, Writer
2002 Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar
Adjunct Faculty, Supervisor SLM Interns, McDaniel College
Author, Graphic Novels in your Media Center: A Definitive Guide
graphicnovelguru.com"