5 Ideas for Engaging Teens with Comics & Manga Programming in Libraries

Tabrizia Jones, Young Adult Librarian at the New York Public Library – Pelham Parkway-Van Nest branch, presented on “Engaging and Fostering Conversations: New York Public Library” for our “Comics & Manga Programming in Schools and Libraries” webinar at LibraryCon 2024. We’re spotlighting our key takeaways here for those who prefer reading over video or audio, but the full webinar is also embedded below.

It didn’t take Tabrizia Jones long to become a frequent reader of comics and manga. As a Young Adult Librarian with the New York Public Library, Tabrizia knew the importance of engaging her Pelham Parkway patrons with content they would find relevant, and comics programming entered the chat.

“I started reading comics as soon as I became a young adult librarian because I started to see that, [for] the new teenage audience that I had, that was the only type of books that they would like to read — comics and manga. I make sure to instill it in most of my programming that I have at the public library,” Tabrizia shares.

By leaning into comics and manga, Tabrizia was able to develop replicable programs that any librarian can use to engage readers with their Comics Plus subscription. It was a no-brainer for her to brainstorm and implement successful program ideas for bringing comics and manga programming to all young adult readers throughout the NYPL system — with participation from her fellow NYPL librarians.

We’ve spotlighted five programs she used to garner deeper engagement with her teen patrons, as well as building critical partnerships with comics and manga creators, and her fellow librarians.

Program 1: In-Person Events

Despite their love of digital communities and social media, teens also enjoy interactive experiences that take place in physical locations, so in-person author talks are a great way to bring them together.

“We had a great chance to do in-person author talks at the Pelham Park branch. We were visited by Chris Condon, and at the Wakefield Branch, Jackie Morrow,” Tabrizia states. Other authors who participated in these talks include Mike Curato, Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner, James Tynion IV, and Shof and Shobo.

Several of these talks are available online for the public to watch as well. In addition to in-person events, Tabrizia also hosted virtual events with the creators of Stray Dogs that included a comic workshop. “This was a great way to have [our] patrons connect with the comics that they love in a more personal way. It also brings it into the library in a more accessible and free setting,” Tabrizia explains.

Program 2: Comics Workshops

With the success of the Stray Dogs workshop, Tabrizia partnered with other creators and publishers for similar interactive events. In 2023, her branch was visited by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo, the Eisner-nominated team behind the graphic novel, Frontera.

“It was a great way to discuss how the comic book process [works] as they had people come up with a script and the ideas, then Jacoby instilled those ideas into a panel on a drawing board,” Tabrizia shares.

Programs 3 & 4: Virtual Book Tasting & Teen Comics Chat

Rather than make virtual events a one-size-fits-all approach, Tabrizia developed two other program with her fellow librarians: Virtual Book Tasting and Teen Comics Chat.

In partnership with fellow librarians at other NYPL branches, Tabrizia was able to launch a virtual book tasting event where she and her colleagues recommended a selection of books from the library’s collection — whether something they had read within the past week, a couple of months prior, or even years ago. It was programmed to always offer a range of titles to consider, and they made sure to incorporate comics into the tastings, too.

“We also have a teen comics chat that started during the pandemic. It’s still growing and is also a monthly program where we give a different range of comics, that three librarians have read and feel teens should read,” Tabrizia details. The NYPL’s Teen Comics Chat is hosted virtually with invitation to register open to all, though it focuses on teen attendance.

The comics range across age groups — covering children, teen, and even adult titles. “In our library, the teens who have a teen library card are able to check out a children’s book, teen book, or an adult book,” Tabrizia states.

Program 5: Manga March Madness

It’s worthwhile to tap into recurring life moments that your readers experience, and March Madness events for books are a staple of library programming. Tabrizia’s Manga March Madness program was launched with the help of an internal NYPL innovation grant.

“We pit different manga titles in 12 categories and we encourage our teen audience in 15 libraries to vote for which manga titles should reign supreme in the 12 categories,” she details. For the month of March, there were over 5,000 votes cast and the overall winner that teen readers chose was A Silent Voice.

This programming was great for the participating branches because it gave teens a chance to be part of a voting process for something they cared about, and it gave librarians and teachers an idea of what was most popular with their teens at that moment. Since March Madness is an annual event, any school or public library could implement a similar program for their readers, too.

Program All The Comics!

“[These programs] give a chance for people to read different things, and to incorporate different types of reader advisory — whether in person, or on social media. It gives patrons a chance to interact with books in a different way,” Tabrizia shares.

With Comics Plus, librarians can launch any of the programs Tabrizia used at NYPL without having to worry about holds, wait lists, or borrowing limits. Thousands of comics and manga are available for readers of all ages — with unlimited, simultaneous access for all.

**Learn more about Comics Plus and our valuable resources, including the Comic & Manga Book Club Guide.**

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Comics & Manga Programming in Schools and Libraries | LibraryCon 2024