@mangalibrarian.bsky.social while you were gone I ended up going down a research whole about anime manga and Leftist politics running on 5-6 months.

Loved last night’s #TLSkyChat on manga & comics! Big thanks to @mangalibrarian.bsky.social & @smwordsmith.bsky.social for the expert tips. 🚀 I’ve rounded up all the strategies, shelving hacks, & book lists from the chat into one post. 📖 💗Remember #slowchat is engaged! Check out the article HERE

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Must read #TLSkyChat

How I stay ahead of Western manga releases is, frankly, staying on top of Japanese manga releases. I have a JP Bookwalker account, I visit Japan annually and spend a solid chunk of my time in bookstores and libraries, and I have multiple publications about the industry.

I've gotta crash into my bed, but it was so fun to chat with y'all! I'll read over the slow chat tomorrow and try to give meaningful responses when I'm not fighting the eepies.

A4: OMG where do I start BIGGEST game changer: sign up for NetGalley & Edelweiss and get your own review copies to flip thru. Reviews are great but they’re few and far between. We are HUMAN & can only review so much. Go check out the books if you can so you know what you’re buying #TLSkyChat

A6: I am prepped to meet ALL challenges to ALL materials....well...because... The few I have had were around the dress/drawings of young ladies & the nose wrinkle of "not real reading." That was only a handful of people/staff. GN/comics/Manga is part of our reading culture. 1/ #TLSkyChat

A7: Literally where do I even START. My favorite aspects have to be depiction of foreign language (dif. color font, scribbles, etc). My go-to recs: Brownstone, Lunar New Year Love Story, Dream On, Almost Sunset, How to Draw a Secret, Fresh Start, Visitations, & the Stepping Stones series #TLSkyChat

A9. Oshi-katsu activities! They're creating arts and crafts around your favorite character or K-Pop idol, and my kids are obsessed. I have to keep a steady stream of idol cards coming in!

A8. Illustration. The truth is that I love illustration so much, and that's what drives my obsession with manga in particular. I'm always recommending Witch Hat Atelier, Tamon's B-Side, and Spacewalking with You. #TLSkyChat

A7. I'm a little suspicious if I should weed the graphics that are in pristine condition, because that speaks volumes in our school. It's also way more intense repair on these sections than on any other! most fiction books in the condition of our copy of Smile would have been recycled. #TLSkyChat

A6. This is the first year I've had struggles with the kiddos straight up BOOK-NAPPING, especially the graphics. This is more an issue of us being in a new building and the school went without a librarian for a solid year before I came in, but I'm now having to bribe children with candy.

A5. @smwordsmith.bsky.social, @bespokelib.bsky.social, @libraryladynyc.bsky.social. The NFNT team is fabulous. And there are many non-librarian reviewers who are particularly great!

A4. For graphics and comics, I 100% am dependent on reviewers like @smwordsmith.bsky.social or Esther Keller. For manga, what I'd recommend that's outside the norm is following the folks at @yattatachi.com. They have a roundup of every manga being published each month! #TLSkyChat

A4: First, follow the experts like @smwordsmith.bsky.social @mangalibrarian.bsky.social @bespokelib.bsky.social... Next, use the CD tools that analyze your collection and tell you what is missing or what is coming to be published. Keep your inventory current! #TLSkyChat 1/

A4: I guess I am unique because I am always looking for new and upcoming GNs to read for myself, but I know that what I love to read, my students will also love to read. Here is my cheat sheet I share in PD for librarians (shout out @mangalibrarian.bsky.social & @smwordsmith.bsky.social!) #TLSkyChat

A3. Shameless plug: a group of us wrote a little book of lesson plans called Manga Goes to School... Really though, I'm using graphics all the time. I use constructivist media decoding, and we're looking at various graphic formats for intent and context, as well as personal connections. #TLSkyChat

One library lesson I ran was about classic lit and I provided the original texts, abridged versions, graphic novels with original language, simpler text for reluctant readers & modern english + manga versions got kids to read sections to see which appealed to them & did a reading too #TLSkyChat

A3: I utilize @melissacorey.bsky.social’s visual book lists for RA in my library, and I always include graphics in those lists. I am always book talking graphic novels to my middle schoolers because I happen to love middle grade graphic novels, and they seem to really enjoy my passion! #TLSkyChat

Oops! #TLSkyChat

A2. @smwordsmith.bsky.social has a god-tier post about shelving for all the graphics and I just do what she says.

A1: For some of my staunchest critics and there have been many on GNs that they are not real reading etc. I have a folder will soooo many studies and articles of the benefits of reading graphic. To be fair the reading level on some are sooo much higher then one would think. #TLSkyChat

A1: Well... For the most part, I do not have to sell it (I know I am lucky). My school has taught a GN English elective for neay 20 years and MOST of my staff is VERY young & grew up on them. I just have to support their use & aid instruction. Plus resistance is futile. #TLSkyChat

For those who have time I give a small lecture on how reading comics requires visual and text decoding and comics are often more linguistically complex than many books and improves vocabulary #TLSkyChat

I'm Ashley Hawkins. Middle school librarian in Brooklyn, specializing in manga in school libraries. I do a lot of things.

A1. I go hard on the research. In fact, I go so hard on the research, I’m going back to school to do research. I want to get data on the benefits of manga (and other graphics) for ND readers, and the necessity for school librarians in supporting those readers. #TLSkyChat

🌸 T-30 minutes until #TLSkyChat! Bring your best graphic novels, manga, and comics to share with @mangalibrarian.bsky.social ! 🌷📚 Questions at tlskychat.com #librarians #skybrarians #tlsky #edusky #manga #booktok #booksky #booktok

Join us for #TLSkyChat as we explore the power of manga, comics, and graphic novels in the library! 📚🎨 How are you building your collection, supporting readers, and promoting visual storytelling? Share your favorite titles, ideas, and successes with us! 🗓 This Wednesday ⏰ 8PM ET / 5PM PT

Can't wait to talk manga (and other graphic formats, too!) with all of y'all after so much time!

BTW, what I learned today was that Bluesky has 2FA. I turned it on.

I just had to remove multiple replies from a spicy robot sharing naughty videos on my account so that was a super fun side quest in reactivation.

Oh god, my account was taken over by porn bots and now I have to delete all of their work jesus

Here's the rundown of what happened. I'll keep the other account as a backup in case of another breakdown in communication.

Soooo, I created a WHOLE NEW ACCOUNT this morning because this one was seemingly gone for good after weeks of trying to get back in, only to get an email granting me access... like ten minutes ago.

Book banning extremist group “Moms For Liberty” LOST ALL 31 of their races. Moms for Liberty is now 0-59 in contested school board races since 2023.

This manga is very popular in Japan- I resisted buying it because I figured it was only a matter of time.

Ryan Thames has issued a formal apology to me. This was never about $—it was about integrity. I’m grateful that the false statements have been publicly corrected and that the truth is now clear. I hope this outcome serves as a reminder that words carry weight and accountability matters. @la-cac.org

Another collage! Everyone is so incredible. I am starstruck. @mangalibrarian.bsky.social @dapherneener.bsky.social @mobleyinthemix.bsky.social

I’m gonna be a busy lady this #AASL2025! Along with my co-presenters @mangalibrarian.bsky.social, @bespokelib.bsky.social and Emily Ratica, were presenting on 3 of the conference days! Come say hi and learn about some fabulous manga in your libraries. #MangaGTS

If you’re wondering where I’ve been for a month, it was the start of the school year… then Silent Hill f came out so…

Lowkey one of my fav vids we did at Cracked...no prompter no cuts all History's Greatest Monster!!! Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6D...

A first look at tomorrow's front page of The National 📰 How genocide happened

I love Witch Hat Atelier so much. But this is exactly why awards like the American Manga Awards are necessary. Manga is so vast, and Shirahama has an edge with Harvey voters as a previous awardee and both a mangaka and comics illustrator. A new manga should have won.

Final stages of prep for #AASL25! Excited to talk SO MUCH manga with @mangalibrarian.bsky.social @smwordsmith.bsky.social Emily Ratica. Going to be there? Come to one of our sessions—or multiple. They are all different! @alaeditionsns.bsky.social @aaslala.bsky.social

NY pals: Take action for Banned Banned Books Week. Urge Gov. Hochul to sign the Freedom to Read Act. Call her office and/or fill out these forms: NYPL: app.oneclickpolitics.com/campaign-pag...   EqualityNY: actionbutton.nationbuilder.com/share/SPK-QE... @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social

Important work #tlsky #libraries #schoollibrary #schoollibraries #tlchat