This presentation is on historical traces about Japanese society and librarians at public and school libraries struggling on MANGA and library services briefly.

Librarians have been discussing as follows;★Are MANGA books ‘harmful’ for people

including children/youth or not?

★Are MANGA books a part of library collection or not?

★What is the meaning providing books including MANGA to the people at libraries?

MANGA and Libraries in Japan

１． MANGA before modern library era

MANGA was named after Hokusai Manga.

Oldest illustrations might be ‘Chouju Giga’ in around 1100’s.

A few public libraries offered youth services with fee. 1887 ～

First MANGA for children, Kyouiku Ponchi (=punch)

e-banashi (Educational comic story) published, 1897 ～ .

２． MANGA at early library activity era

３． MANGA banned at war time (1930’s)

The Dept. of Interior directed on reading materials for children　 and demanded changing the contents including 33 MANGA books.

(1938.Oct.25)

After that, MANGA turned to be war-favor stories.

４． MANGA was censored at Occupation era (1945 ～ 1949)

Publishing was censored by American occupation authority including children books, Kamishibai, and MANGA.

←Kashi-honya (rental bookshop) widely provided Akahon MANGA cheaply.

５． Reading guidance of MANGA at schools/school libraries (1951 ～）

Reading guidance methods with MANGA were discussed at school reading classes.

MANGA for study began to publish.(1950 ～ )

Library Law (1950.Apr.)

School Library Law (1953.Aug.)

６． Battle　over　‘harmful’　MANGA　in　society 　 (1949～ )

Critical　movement　against　‘Akahon-manga’　as　‘low-class’　MANGA.　Some　parents’　group　burned　MANGA　on　street.　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓‘Youth　Protection　Act’　specified　‘harmful　books’　for　minors　under　18　yrs　old.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(1950～ present)

７． Negative view over MANGA at public libraries (1955 ～ )

First national meeting on children’s services was held and discussed on MANGA at public libraries. (1955)

Declaration on ‘Statement on Intellectual Freedom in libraries’ (1954.May)

８． Debate over MANGA at public libraries 　 (1971 ～ )

OK! librarians→”libraries must provide books to

everyone who want including children. MANGA also should circulate.”

No! librarians→”MANGA express lots of sexual,

violent, segregated expressions, not suitable for children.” “Limited collection budget should not use for buying MANGA.”

9.“Youth Protection Act” and MANGA

<local government>

First prefecture level Youth Protection Act was at Okayama, 1950.

↓

　 All prefectures set up same act at present. Tokyo was revised recently ．

<publishers/bookstores>

⇒Self regulation by MANGA publishers and bookstores since 1963.

　　　　　　　　↓

using stickers as indicating MANGA for suitable age since 1991.

10. MANGA as one of library collections?

⇒Present librarians may select MANGA from educational standpoint.

For example, among Saitama prefecture (near Tokyo) public libraries’ union catalog with 58 libraries;

★44 libraries hold ‘Hadashi no Gen’(=Barefoot Gen) about war and atomic bomb in Hiroshima, but only 8 hold ‘Dragon ball’.

★9 libraries hold ‘One Piece’ MANGA, but other 22 libraries hold only novelized version without original MANGA.

MANGA and libraries now

Japanese Librarians liketo have literally bookswith words, not MANGA

books ....still now.

★How do you think as a professional librarian?

★Do you hold MANGA books at your library?

★Do you lend MANGA to the people including children / youth?