Pictured: These graphic novels will be added to SCI Mahanoy's library thanks to the grant.
By Jeri-Lynne Stewart, Mahanoy Librarian
Did you ever have a teacher tell you to stop reading graphic novels? Well, times have changed!
Now, graphic novels are seen as a serious form of literature, one that boosts vocabulary, encourages reluctant readers and involves the brain neurologically more than reading text. In an effort to capitalize on this new opportunity, the SCI Mahanoy library sought out ways to build its graphic novel section.
Earlier this year, the library was named a recipient of the coveted Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grant for Libraries—one of only three libraries to receive it and the only one in a prison. The Eisner grants are highly competitive. The grant award includes $4,000 which will be used for attending the ALA Annual Conference, holding more educational programs and buying new graphic novels. The grant also includes a donation of more than 200 graphic novels—the collected works of Will Eisner as well as all the titles nominated for Eisner awards in 2019. The grant is given by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation and is administered by the American Library Association (ALA).
The grant proposal was "Doing Time Doesn't Have to Mean Behind the Times: Visual Literacy in a Non-Internet Population." Thanks to the grant, Mahanoy held Act 48 training for teachers, attended by SCIs Retreat, Dallas, Camp Hill and Frackville as well as Mahanoy Education Department staff. The training taught educators on how to use graphic novels to boost vocabulary, foster involvement and encourage reading. Three ABE teachers will be using classic fiction in graphic novel form next semester, with books purchased as part of the grant.
A special recognition event was held to acknowledge the grant in August. Dr. Claire T. Lawrence, professor of literature and creative writing at Bloomsburg University, attended the event and conducted the training on Using Graphic Novels in the Classroom.A second program will be a research study open to 20 inmates to assess if reading graphic novels improves their visual literacy. The inmates will be given a brief course on how to read graphic novels. They will also be assigned titles to read and answer questions on those specific titles. Finally, they will take part in a book club discussion once a month during the 5-month project.