Looking for a supply for manga books for my library

[Earth2Wife]

Hi there,

I am Earth 2 Chris's wife.

I am hoping I could get some help. I am the adult program coordinator at my local library and part of my job is to maintain the graphic novel collection. I have started putting them in series and I was wondering two things. One- can anyone recommend a site with lists of different series including manga and I need to find a site that sells Manga, especially ones older than five years. I am currently looking at 3 sites that deal with the library system and 5 years after publication books, especially graphic novels get very hard to find.

One series for example I am looking for is the first 6 volumes of Chibi Vampire.

Thanks for any help :O)

Cindy

[samurainoir]

You can get Viz directly from the source, they are currently the largest manga company operating out of North America.
VIZ MANGA: Online Manga!

However, Dark Horse publishes many of my favourites, and maintains a store. Unfortunately their search function, particularly if you want to filter manga, really sucks.
Books :: Dark Horse Comics


Unfortunately, the previously other major source of north american manga, Tokyo Pop shut down their western operation last year. Good news is that you can find much of their product on close-out, bad news is restocking and completing a series will be difficult since they are gonzo.

You can probably find help over at the Manga Fox forums...
Manga Fox - Read Manga Online for Free!
They have a policy of pulling Manga down that they have posted there if it is available in North America english language.

[jwyblejr]

Since you're in Kentucky,I would try Books-A-Million. They always have manga books for sale.

[johnmiic]

I have a friend who is a librarian. Let me ask him. He may have some info for you.

Try TFAW.com, (Things from another world), as they often have sales on comic graphic novels. They may have some manga on sale.

Hobby Link Japan specializes in model kit magazines but I have seen some Manga on sale from time to time. I find their website search engine to be a bit lacking tho.

Bud's Art Books.com, (formerly Bud Plant Art), might also be a good place to try. Tho I haven't browsed their site in quite a while.

There used to be a store and mail order co. named Books Nippon, (Books Nippan?), in NYC years ago. I haven't checked if they are still in business but they might be worth a look.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Check the major chains like Amazon. It's surprising what they have in stock some times.

Don C.

[neogelion]

mangareader.net has a ton of manga to read for free. It might help in seeing what is available for a given series.

[WannabeMego]

There used to be a store and mail order co. named Books Nippon, (Books Nippan?), in NYC years ago. I haven't checked if they are still in business but they might be worth a look.

Books Nippon was GREAT...but (I could be wrong) I think they changed to Kinokuniya Books...Lots of obscure and new Manga as well as classics...but...a bit on the expensive side most of the time (due to the fact that they're obscure and/or new ).

Personally, I love the classics (Yamato, Harlock, Lupin III, etc.) and they seem to be harder to find then any of the newer books. Japan typically does not reproduce older manga books as often as we do here in the states and they don't hold/keep them as our collectors do...so they are that much harder to find in their original release and format.

[LadyZod]

I like:

http://www.cheapgraphicnovels.com/

They sell tons of overstock at reduced rates. Might not be complete series's, but it's a start on the cheap.

[Earth2Wife]

Thanks for all the leads :O) Now to whip out the library's credit card!!