Developing and Sustaining a Graphic Scholarship Collection for Academic Libraries

In early 2021, the Schusterman Library at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa satellite campus took a new step towards building a culture of interest by creating the Graphic Scholarship Collection. This new endeavor is a curated collection of graphic novels, primarily non-fiction, aligned with the academic programs on campus, as well as promoting University initiatives in diversity, equity, and inclusion. A new organizational structure for the collection materials and their circulation metrics will be examined in detail. There will also be consideration of the challenges of selection and acquisition by a mixed team of selectors, some of whom have no experience with graphic novels and who have to resolve contradictions between the new and existing library collections. New graphic scholarship initiatives and faculty-library partnerships will be explored. In addition to developing workshops and other learning activities around the collection, the library is partnering with campus faculty in creating original course content. The collection's development has already had an impact by building and strengthening bonds across the campus, and it aims to mirror the growth of the University community.