Magdalen College Library has officially opened its doors to a new permanent collection of over 250 graphic novels and comics. This new section – the first of its kind among Oxford colleges – ensures that the library remains a living, evolving space.
The collection is a collaborative effort. It includes 148 titles on loan from Peter Kessler, and 69 books from the late Rachel Cooke’s personal collection, with the remainder acquired by the library.
The collection was officially launched on 29 January, and Peter inaugurated the section by cutting a ribbon made of Spider-Man comic strips.
As a celebrated journalist and critic for The Observer, Rachel was a fierce champion of the graphic novel as a serious literary form. Following her passing last year, her husband, Tony Quinn, donated her personal collection to Magdalen’s library. Each of Rachel’s books carries a commemorative bookplate in her memory.
As this section is distinct from the rest of the library, it presented a unique challenge for categorisation. Abby Evans, Technical Services and Collections Librarian, explained that normally such books would be dispersed throughout the Library, since graphic novels are a medium rather than a single genre. “All of our graphic novels, whether they’re original fiction, adaptations of other works, or non-fiction, are shelved together in the Graphic Novels section,” she said, which should help make the collection more searchable.
The books are now integrated into the Library’s lending system and are available to College members, including Fellows, students, and staff. They can be found on the ground floor, identifiable by a green dot sticker on the spine.
