Committee appointments for the 2023-24 service year have been made.
We at the GNCRT are excited to continue the variety of volunteer work our Committees take on each year, including tackling comics metadata and cataloging, coordinating topical webinars, addressing ongoing book bans and challenges, creating valuable selection lists and resources, and celebrating the comics format in libraries. This year we have a new collaboration core list committee, expanding on our previous collaborations with the BCALA, and a new awards exploratory committee to start considering the possibilities around a GNCRT Comics award.
Check out the Committee descriptions below for details on each including estimated workload, and please check out our Volunteer FAQ to find general information about volunteering with GNCRT. If you would like to reach out to any of these Committee Chairs and/or members, please use the GNCRT Contact Us form.
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Find out more about our committees:
GNCRT ALA Conference Committee
This committee works to organize and plan panels, special events, meetups, and activities on the Exhibit floor at the ALA LibLearnX and Annual Conferences. In years past the majority of the Conference Committee’s work revolved around the ALA Annual Conference. As LibLearnX is evolving as a more narrowly focused conference, the GNCRT Conference Committee will evaluate the best ways to participate at LibLearnX.
Please note: Conference attendance isn't required for appointment to our conference or convention committees. However, for our ALA Conference Planning Committee, strong preference is given to those who can attend ALA Conferences in person.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 6-7 members.
Average member time spent per week: 1 hour, but with increasing meetings and preparation time close to and in-person at conference
Works closely with: Conventions Committee
Awards Exploratory Committee
This limited term exploratory committee is tasked with drawing up the framework to create a graphic novel award presented by the GNCRT. The Committee will investigate similar awards structures, including but not limited to the Rainbow Roundtable’s Stonewall Awards as well as comics awards like the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards to consider the best model for a GNCRT Award.
Please note: Volunteers for this Committee should note their past Awards and Selection list Committee work as well as any relevant work on local or industry awards committees.
Committee roster: 1 Chairs, 3-4 members.
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: GNCRT Board
Communications - Discord Community Committee
Run and co-moderate our GNCRT Discord Community, including posting and engaging with the wider libcomix community and hosting online events and discussions on Discord.
Please note: In the last year Discord was also part of the Social Media Committee’s work, but this year that role is separate.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 1-2 members.
Average member time spent per week: Estimated 1-2 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee, Membership Committee
Communications - Newsletter Committee
Coordinates, edits, and publishes the monthly GNCRT newsletter.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 1-2 members
Average member time spent per week: 2-3 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee, Website Committee
Communications - Social Media Committee
Run all @libcomix social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook group, etc.). Includes posting and engaging with the wider libcomix community, promoting other GNCRT Projects.
Please note: In the last year Discord was also part of the Social Media Committee’s work, but this year that role is separate.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 2-3 members.
Average member time spent per week: 4-5 hours
Works closely with: Newsletter Committee, Website Committee
Communications - Website Committee
Maintaining and updating the GNCRT website. Includes writing copy, creating or editing graphics, and working in Drupal.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 1-2 members.
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee, Newsletter Committee
Conventions Committee
This committee is responsible for GNCRT programming and outreach at comics conventions. GNCRT is still rebuilding and reevaluating our approach to conventions and the committee will have a large amount of influence on what our approach looks like. Creative and enthusiastic members are sought!
Please note: Committee members are not required to be able to attend conventions but will be encouraged to do so whenever possible.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 5-6 members
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: ALA Conference Committee
Creators Get Carded Committee
Our regular Library Card Sign-Up Month project that highlights comic creators and their libraries / library cards.
Please note: This is a short term committee that is primarily active June-September.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 2-3 members.
Average member time spent per week: 2-3 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee
Libcomix Online Committee
Volunteers needed for online program evaluation, organizing, logistics and promotion. This committee also oversees other, more targeted online programming such as Banned Books Week and our Be Prepared series with the Preparing For and Addressing Challenges to Comics in the Library Committee.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 8 members
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee, Preparing For and Addressing Challenges to Comics in the Library Committee
Membership Committee
Develops promotional campaigns to showcase the work and value of the round table in order to recruit and retain GNCRT members as well as marketing plans for GNCRT merchandise, swag, and specific member populations (students and institutional members in particular). They will also coordinate regular networking events for the round table.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 3-4 members
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: Social Media Committee, ALA Conference Committee
Metadata & Cataloging Committee
This committee seeks to provide best practices documentation and share volunteer knowledge on comics metadata and cataloging to the wider library world.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 6-7 members
Average member time spent per week: 2-4 hours
Works closely with: Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT) Advisory Group
Preparing For and Addressing Challenges to Comics in the Library Committee
This Committee works to help library workers prepare for and address bans, challenges, and other forms of censorship to comics and graphic novels in libraries.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 6-7 members
Average member time spent per week: 1-2 hours
Works closely with: Libcomix Online Committee, Social Media Committee
Selection Lists - Collaboration Core List Committee - REFORMA / GNCRT
To develop annotated lists, including at least one core title list with the flexibility to create more topical lists, to showcase high-quality graphic novel stories about or created by members of the collaboration partner group.
Please note: This committee consists of fourteen members total: five members from the GNCRT and a co-chair appointed by GNCRT; with six members and a co-chair appointed by the collaboration partner organization; and a nonvoting administrative assistant.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs, 11 members, 1 administrative assistant
Average member time spent per week: estimated 2-4 hours per week, with the longer time during title reading and selection
Works closely with: the collaboration partner organization, which changes annually.
Selection Lists - Best Graphic Novels for Adults Committee
This committee selects the annual annotated list of high quality graphic novels that appeal to adults. The list aims to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.
Please note: This Committee is appointed in October and work starts in January.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 10 Committee members, 1 administrative assistant
Average member time spent per week: 4-5 hours
Selection Lists - Best Graphic Novels for Children Committee
This committee selects the annual annotated list of high quality graphic novels that appeal to adults. The list aims to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.
Please note: This Committee is appointed in October and work starts in January.
Committee roster: 1 Chair, 10 Committee members, 1 administrative assistant
Average member time spent per week: 4-5 hours
Will Eisner Grants Juries
The juries select winners for the Will Eisner Growth and Innovation Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries.
Please note: This Committee is appointed in October and work starts in January, and it is a three month turnaround from the application deadline to selecting the winners.
Committee roster: 2 Co-Chairs (one for each type of grant), 6-7 members per jury
Average member time spent per week: 2-5 hours, more as deadlines approach
Works closely with: ALA Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table Staff Liaison, Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation