katiedoyle:I go to the library. A lot. I go most weekends, sometimes twice in a weekend, and I usual
katiedoyle:I go to the library. A lot. I go most weekends, sometimes twice in a weekend, and I usually stay all day. I write and hang out with some coffee most of the time. Sometimes I read. I ALWAYS walk around and browse the books, especially in the teen and graphic novel sections.My library system has a HUGE collection of graphic novels, comic trades, zines, and everything else awesome in the format. I’ve ALWAYS been able to find the comics I wanted to read, even if I have to request it from another library within the system.EXCEPT Captain Marvel. Since the first trade of Captain Marvel came out, I tried to get it from my library and it was very stubbornly NOT. THERE. I’ve checked every few months when I think of it, to see if it’s shown up. It hadn’t.Then, after the announcement of the Captain Marvel movie, I decided to check again. VICTORY! Some time in the past two months or so, all of my carefully filled out “Request a Purchase” forms have achieved their goal! Except…it wasn’t one of the Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh who made the purchase. It was a library in the interlibrary system. You can still request books from any library in the system though, so no big deal. But there’s also only one copy. Of each book. =(Look, it’s awesome that there’s now copies of Captain Marvel available within the library system because there used to NOT be any AT ALL. But ONE copy? I know that library budgets and decisions to purchase materials are more complicated and involve more factors than I know about but, it makes me a little sad. And it makes me a little annoyed, especially since there are TEN copies of Avengers: The Enemy Within, which stars Carol, is written by Kelly Sue, ACTUALLY COMPILES ISSUES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL and is BASICALLY Captain Marvel Vol. 3, but carries the more popular “Avengers” title.Plus, it sucks when you only have one copy of the book because…you only have one copy of the book. If someone loses the book, there is no more book until a replacement comes in. If it falls apart (as comic trades are really, REALLY prone to do, especially if it’s one book passing through a lot of hands) you again have to wait for a replacement. If someone hangs onto the book past it’s due date, the people on the hold list are waiting a really long time to receive the material (I’ll be straight with you and admit that I AM OFTEN THAT PERSON, I AM SORRY).Then there’s the fact that if the book is always being requested, it’s never on the shelves, which also matters. I have picked up MANY new comics just because I found them on the shelf at the library and didn’t have to request it. Hawkeye, for example, was a book I snagged when it was displayed in the teen department at my library. I have no problem requesting things from the library and do it all the time, but I actually FREQUENTLY hear people reject librarian’s offers to request a book when it’s checked out already.There are so many reasons I’m excited for a Captain Marvel movie, but one of the things I find SO incredibly interesting is the ease of getting into the comic. The lack of intimidation that usually comes with a superhero movie. There aren’t years and years of intimidating backstory to get into. There is a clear entry point. And if you like it, THEN you can work your way into some old Ms. Marvel or Avengers Assemble stuff. And should because Avengers Assemble is…SO. GOOD. But if you’re going to start, you need to start, and LIBRARIES ARE GREAT PLACE TO START! I’m kind of hoping that as Captain Marvel and the news of the movie gains more traction, there will be more requests and more book purchases for the collection. For now, I’m just happy they exist (and also happy that there’s THREE copies of the new Ms. Marvel series. YESSSSSS!).BUT. I would HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND checking out the Captain Marvel availability at your own library. Many libraries have online request forms. And you can always just go to your library and request that they purchase a book in person. Just remember that a request is a request and abusing the lovely librarians who may not have had final say in the decision to buy or not buy the book don’t deserve to hear you whining or being angry at them.And if your library DOES have Captain Marvel, check that shit out! Re-read the library copy! Let them know that you are interested in reading the book so that they keep buying new volumes when they come out. If it’s checked out, put a hold on it. Even if there’s already 30 holds! Do this for all awesome comics, especially the lady-led comics which don’t get nearly enough love (I could do a whole other post on the lack of availability of comics with female protagonists vs. male protagonists in library systems but…I won’t.)Then, when you talk about Captain Marvel with your awesome friends you can be all “This book is awesome, you should read it.” and your friend can be like “Cool, can I borrow your copy?” and you can say “I don’t have it, I got it from the library.” and they can be like “I LOVE THE LIBRARY IT’S SUCH A NICE AND FRIENDLY PLACE! I will go there and read all of the Captain Marvel in the world.” And you can know that you did a good thing. For the world. And for a really awesome, really important, superhero movie! -- source link