This document is a grant application from a school library to hold a mini comic convention to promote graphic novels. The event would be held over a weekend and feature vendors from local comic shops and costume stores, book sales, workshops on drawing comics and costuming careers, and a costume contest. The goal is to increase circulation and interest in the school's 178 graphic novels among students and the community. A budget of $900 is estimated to cover costs of materials, food, prizes, and vendor fees.

1. http://www.ala.org/gamert/will-eisner-graphic-novel-grants-libraries
Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grant for Libraries
Application Cover Sheet
(Please complete this form & return it with your project proposal)
Date Submitted: March 29, 2014
Applying for (check one): Growth Grant X Innovation Grant _________
Project Title: Comic Conference
Organization / individual Applying: Library/Media Staff at Youth Elementary School
Contact e-mail: lalligood@walton.k12.ga.us
Telephone: 770-554-0172
Address: Youth Elementary School
4009 Centerhill Church Road
Loganville, Georgia 30052
ALA Member Number:2049167
Brief Summary of Project (2 or 3 sentences):
We intend to develop community –wide interest in graphic novels and promote graphic novels as
literature through a mini comic convention to be held in our school.
Narrative Proposal:
Youth Elementary School currently has 178 graphic novels in its holdings. These books are read
by a relatively small segment of the school population and only accounted for 3% of the checkouts in
February 2014. We would like to see increased circulation of the current holdings among those who
already read graphic novels and circulation to a wider segment of the school population including
teachers. The intended audience for our comic convention will be the students and staff of Walton County
Schools, their families, and members of the surrounding community.
The event will be advertised via the individual school web-sites as well as the district web-site.
Flyers will be sent home with all students in grades pre-K through 5 using our well-established Monday
folder communication. Additional flyers will be posted at the middle and high schools. A calling post
message can also be delivered via telephone. A press release will be generated by the appropriate
personnel at the Board Office. Participating and interested vendors will be given posters and flyers for
their stores.

2. Prior to the event, all teachers in the county will be challenged to read at least one graphic novel.
Media Centers will conduct a graphic novel emphasis in late August.
The event will take place in mid to late September on a Friday evening and all the next day
(Saturday) in our school media center and cafeteria. The timing will be such that one costume that can be
purchased and used for this event, our school’s annual book character parade and Halloween. PTO has
agreed to provide man-power for all pre-event organizing as well as provide funds for refreshments and
prizes.
Vendors, Events & Tables
 According to yellowpages.com there are 34 comic book stores and 43 costume shops within
a 2 hour radius of our location. Each of these would be contacted about purchasing a table,
providing a door prize, etc.
 The media specialist will plan and decorate a Will Eisner “Father of the Graphic Novel”
display table.
 Bookstores will be approached about manning a sales table featuring graphic novels.
 Members of high school clubs related to art, comics, gaming etc. will be invited to attend and
will receive a free event table space should they choose to set up a display.
 The school counselor will provide information on careers in this field.
 The school’s Wii gaming station will be set up for free play with appropriately themed games.
 Approximately 10 new graphic novels from the ALA list will be purchased for this event.
Teachers will be asked to represent a character from their book while introducing the book in
a “red carpet / catwalk” event similar to a fashion show. There will also be a table dedicated
to the graphic novel as literature.
 One of our staff members knows the manager of Museum Replicas
(http://www.museumreplicas.com) and will request he send a representative to conduct a
workshop on careers in costuming; MR staffers have previously worked at Paramount and on
such films as Gladiator, Braveheart, Die Another Day, and Saraha.
 WyzAnt tutoring returned 31 individuals living within a 30 minute drive who give lessons in
drawing comics. These individuals would be contacted about conducting a workshop.
 All attendees will be registered for door prizes and will receive vouchers for a free meal in the
cafeteria. Those in costume will be photographed. Pictures will be displayed and voted on for
the costume contest.
Total budget estimate is $900.00. This figure includes graphic novels ($100.00 from media
center budget), food, drink and paper products for 200 people ($400.00 from PTO budget), door prizes
($100 from PTO budget) and costume contest prizes ($100.00 from PTO budget), advertising and
decorations ($200 from media budget). Some items may be obtained at discount prices through our
Partners in Education. Professionals not bartering their services will be charged an event/table fee of
$50.00 which will off-set this figure.
The following article includes many ideas for planning a comic convention.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib/v59_n3/pdf/denwiddie.pdf
booklists:
(http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/GraphicNovels_ReadList_K-2_0.pdf
http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/GraphicNovels_ReadList_3-5.pdf)