Nominations for the Virginia Library Association Graphic Novel Diversity Award are now being accepted.
The award, which celebrates its second year, aims to highlight diversity in graphic novels with the goal of helping libraries to promote education and reading. Whether the subject matter is race, disability, religion, or sexual orientation, both entries for established publishers and self-publishers are welcome to nominate titles for the award. Last year, March Book Two and Bitch Planet took home the 2015 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award in the Youth and Adult categories respectively.
The Virginia Library Association’s Graphic Novel Diversity Award joins other library association and non-profit organization awards that have nominated and awarded many great contemporary graphic novels. Just last week March Book Three won the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature.
In recent years, as well, graphic novels like Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer, and Raina Telgemeir’s Drama have all been recognized by libraries as important and influential works in a variety of fields. As the VLA notes, it is important for libraries and educational groups to recognize all forms of literature that will help teach and promote reading.
Nominations for the award are due January 31st. To learn more about the award and how you can nominate a title, visit the VLA website.
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Contributing Editor Caitlin McCabe is an independent comics scholar who loves a good pre-code horror comic and the opportunity to spread her knowledge of the industry to those looking for a great story!