Week Thirteen Prompt: Anyone can read YA, Graphic Novels, and Street Lit

In all cases, I believe it is more important to have kids and adults reading - anything - than steering them away from specific genres and formats. To me, libraries have always been a place for people to read what they want, and learn what they want, without any interference. As librarians, we are responsible for trying to meet our readers' needs to the best of our abilities (and our budget's limits).

Photo by Mackenzi Lee

YA lit has exploded in recent years with a slew of memorable books and dynamic authors that have captured the attention of both teens and adults. Granted, movie adaptations are a major factor in this shift, but this new direction has, in my opinion, helped to dispel the stigma that adults should not be reading books written for young adults. Despite this move, librarians should be aware that some adults may still feel embarrassed about their desire to read YA fiction. I love the above sign because it says that YA books do have compelling plots and characters that adults could enjoy, even if they are far from "young." By making displays like this, librarians can create an open atmosphere in their libraries that encourages readers to try new books in spite of genre labels.

Graphic novels are becoming more acceptable as a legitimate genre as greater varieties in themes and subgenres have been released. I have only read a few graphic novels since I'd prefer to picture scenes in my mind, but the visuals can play a huge role in telling the story beyond the dialog boxes. I think the success of graphic novel series like The Walking Dead have helped to engage adult readers. The graphic novelization of popular books, such as Jane Eyre, Twilight Series, King Lear, and Outlander has also boosted interest in graphic novels.

I have had no experience with street lit, but I do know that it is a very popular genre in some of my local library branches. I can imagine how street lit may be the targets of censorship challenges based on its subject matter in some libraries. I thought Megan Honig's introduction in Urban Grit: A Guide to Street Lit was very helpful in presenting the genre and suggestions for its collection development. For those librarians uneasy about including street lit in the collection, Honig offers this reminder: "Your job as a librarian is to maintain a collection that reflects the reading tastes of all community members, and your collection should include street lit as well as other kinds of literature featuring African American characters and concerns" (xviii). Above all else, we should always strive to provide materials aligned with all of our patrons' preferences.