University of North Texas Libraries (Denton, TX) and Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD) selected as 2026 recipients of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries

The American Library Association’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table and the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation are pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries. These grants, funded by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, are administered by ALA's Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT).

The Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries provide support to libraries in two categories – the Innovation Grant awarded to a library who would like to initiate a new graphic novel service, program, or initiative and the Growth Grant awarded to a library that would like to expand their existing graphic novel services and programs.

The 2026 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Growth Grant is awarded to Amanda Zerangue, Jermaine Bryant, and Janelle Fuller of the University of North Texas Libraries in Denton, TX. Their project “Panels to Pathways: Graphic Novels for Independent Living, Workforce Readiness, and Library Engagement” will expand and enhance their longstanding partnership with UNT WISE’s Live & Learn Summer Program, which brings teens and young adults with disabilities to campus for immersive training in skills in independent living, job readiness, and community engagement. Panels to Pathways will integrate three new graphic novel programming components into the Libraries’ WISE summer camp experience to increase engagement with graphic novels while supporting career readiness. 

The 2026 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Innovation Grant is awarded to Annisija Hunter of the Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. Their project “Humanizing Health Sciences Education with Graphic Medicine” seeks to cultivate empathy, reduce stigma, and amplify marginalized perspectives through a new graphic medicine collection. Additionally, they are planning The Comic Relief: Healing Through Graphic Medicine event to build community among various campus colleges and departments as it introduces graphic medicine as a genre, highlights the new collection’s interdisciplinary impact, and allows participants to draw their own graphic medicine panels.

Each of these grants award the winning libraries with $2,000 in collection development funds for the purchase of graphic novels, as well as $1,000 to host a graphic novel-themed event. Additionally, the recipients will receive the Will Eisner Library—a graphic novel collection of Will Eisner’s in-print work and biographies about the acclaimed writer and artist—and a selection of this year’s Will Eisner Award winning graphic novels along with a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. The grant recipients will be celebrated at ALA Annual during the GNCRT President’s Program on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 10:30am CT.

Nancy and Carl Gropper of the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation said, “On behalf of the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, we extend our warmest congratulations to this year’s two grant winners for their outstanding achievements. The honorees, Annisija Hunter of the Hilton M. Briggs Library at South Dakota State University and Amanda Derange, Jermaine Bryant, and Janelle Fuller of the University of Texas Libraries, authored complex, impactful proposals that reflect Will Eisner’s spirit and vision for the educational value of sequential art. He pushed boundaries for his accomplishments and so are these gifted librarians. We send very best wishes to them and all participants for the success of both graphic novel projects and for the realization of their goals with the best of outcomes. Again, our congratulations.”

GNCRT President Shauntee Burns-Simpson said “The Eisner Grants continue to showcase how graphic novels can inspire creativity, build community, and open doors for learners of all ages. From workforce readiness to health sciences education, this year’s recipients are exemplifying what’s possible in library programming, using comics to engage, empower, and uplift their communities in meaningful and lasting ways.”

More information on the grants and the application process can be found at https://www.ala.org/gncrt/eisner

About The Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation
The Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation fosters innovation and creativity in graphic literature, sequential art and comics. It encourages others to continue and build upon the legacy of Will Eisner, who broke new ground in the development of visual narrative and the language of comics. Will Eisner is best known for being the creator of The Spirit comic, for developing comics for education and training, and for writing the first modern graphic novel. For more information about Will Eisner visit www.willeisner.com.

About the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table
The Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table of the American Library Association is dedicated to supporting library staff in all aspects of engaging with graphic novels and comics, including collection development, programming, and advocacy. For more information connect with GNCRT on Facebook: ALA Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table; Twitter: @libcomix; Instagram: @libcomix; or the GNCRT ALA Connect page.

About ALA
Established in 1876, the American Library Association (ALA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.