Anime Clubs for Public Libraries: A Practical Guide for Librarians

Anime (or “Japanese Animation”) has seen a continuing rise in popularity over the past decade of North American pop culture. Droves of die-hard, dedicated fans can be found all over comic shops, conventions, and social media at large, discussing or debating the merits of their favorite Anime fandoms. Public libraries have been quick to catch on, and have long been an excellent gathering place for this community of passionate consumers – be it for movie screenings or anime and manga collection offerings. With the recent widespread adoption of English dubbed content and the explosion of Anime merchandise sales outside of Japan, Anime and Manga are more accessible to North Americans than ever before. In addition to providing a long list of programming examples and ideas, this practical guide will teach librarians how to capture the interest of this fandom community, why the library is the perfect place to do so, and how to expand this thematic programming into further learning and socialization opportunities.

Special Features include:

• Real examples of current and successful Anime Club programs created by librarians.
• Anime: It’s Not Just “Cartoons”! Discovering opportunities for youth engagement, STEM learning, and vital youth socialization within Japanese Animation.
• Clear, concise instructions for incorporating one off or series Anime events for all budget ranges and age groups.
• How to avoid cultural appropriation by engaging your community to make the most out of possible partnerships and resources.
• Anime Club party plans for a wide range of different holidays.
• How to obtain public performance rights for anime screenings,
• Where to find inclusive anime representations of diverse communities