Are comic books junk literature and unsuitable for the library?
As with most aspects of popular culture, the vast majority of comic books represent “light entertainment” at best and “junk reading” at worst. The junk is fairly easy to identify and avoid. More important, there is nothing inherently wrong with light entertainment of good-to-reasonable quality. If librarians objected to this on principle, they wouldn’t be purchasing certain serials or similar escapist fare for children and teens. Many comic books and graphic novels represent serious works worthy of serious attention. Librarians can provide a wonderful service to their young patrons by pointing readers to the best material the comic book industry offers. Kids like comic books. This is, without question, the most compelling reason for libraries to purchase them. Studies have found that almost any type of reading helps develop language and comprehension skill. Since comic books can be an important tool to encourage reading for many children, they have been shown to improve reading skills.
