So, What is Manga and Why Does It Matter? A Walkthrough with School Librarian Jillian Rudes

Join us for a lecture with Jillian Rudes, author of Manga in Libraries and a New York-based school librarian, as we explore what manga is, why it matters, and how to integrate it into library collections and educational settings. In her first talk in Canada, she will cover the fundamentals of reading manga, its genres, publishers, and age ratings, as well as its impact on literacy and social-emotional development. She will also discuss collection development, including essential resources, recommended titles, shelving strategies, reader’s advisory, and digital content. Finally, she will introduce an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services)-funded research grant on BIPOC teens’ reading habits and their engagement with manga, sharing preliminary findings. Whether you’re a library worker, educator, parent, or manga enthusiast, this session offers valuable insights into manga’s growing role in education and libraries.

The lecture will be followed by the exclusive tour of the Japan Foundation, Toronto Library by our library staff. With the Jillian’s insights from the lecture in mind, explore the world of 20,000+ Japan-related books and audiovisuals, including approx. 3,000 manga books in collection!

Jillian Rudes is the founder of Manga in Libraries, an organization that provides manga readers’ advisory lists and hosts manga webinars, workshops, and panels. She is also a New York State dually certified English teacher and school librarian, currently serving as the school librarian at a grade 6–12 public school in New York City. Jillian is also the President-Elect of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT). In 2020, she received the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) Collaborative School Library Award, and in 2022, she was honored with the American Library Association’s (ALA) Scholastic Library Publishing Award. Jillian was also recognized as the “Manga Maven” by Library Journal and selected as a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2022. Additionally, she was a judge for the 2024 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and is currently the recipient of an IMLS research grant focusing on “Teenage BIPOC Readers of Manga.”

Co-presented by: