[Michlib-l] Cataloging "Light Novels"

[Adkins, Melissa]

Hi all,
I'm wondering how you all are handling adding "light novels" to your Teen collections. If you are unfamiliar with the term, light novels are generally closely linked to manga-they are short, translated Japanese novels, usually with some manga-style illustrations. They're generally less than 50,000 words. Manga is very popular here, and I've gotten some requests for some of the related light novels.

My question is-how are you cataloging these? They are not "chiefly illustrations" or set-up like average manga books, but they aren't exactly regular fiction either. Since they are often off-shoots of manga series, set in the same universes or featuring the same characters, my first thought is to go ahead and keep them in with the graphic novels, so the are easily found with the other volumes of the series. My goal is just to make everything easy for teens to find, and to try and increase circulation of things that might otherwise get lost in a large collection. But I see how it could be confusing for them to find a book with more words than pictures in that collection.

Any input or help would be greatly appreciated! Feel free to contact me off list, and I am happy to compile responses if anybody else is interested.

Thanks!
Melissa Adkins
Librarian I, Youth Services
Dearborn Public Library
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