Goldstein Library Updates

Blog post written by Mili Walton, Illustration '27, Library Research Consultant 

Well everybody, that's a wrap on 2025! I sincerely hope we all had a fulfilling year, made some cool art, and spent some time with some cool people. Around this time, I often get to reflecting back on what goals (if any) I set for myself at the start of the year. This past year, I told myself that I wanted to read more books. Novels, Graphic novels, audiobooks, anything! And I think that I accomplished that!

This past year, I read around 100 graphic novels and around 10 novels. Some were genuinely life changing, others were so forgettable that when I was reviewing my list for writing this blog I had to google them to even remember what they were about. Today, I want to share my top reads from 2025 (in no specific order).

What it means when a man falls from the sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

(3rd Floor: Books ; PS3601.R542 A6 2018)

I picked this book up on a whim, and boy am I glad that I did! What it Means When a Man Falls from the Sky is a remarkable anthology that covers many meaningful and relevant topics in a unique and occasionally horrifying way. Some stories are as simple as the difficult tale of a young woman getting left by her cousin at a party, others are as grotesque as a baby made of hair slowly consuming those closest to it. No matter how absurd or normal the story, Arimah has such a mesmerizing way with words that I was hooked on every section.

If you want a quick read that’s occasionally heartwrenchingly earnest, or absolutely sickening, or even remarkably mundane, this one’s for you!

Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

( 2nd Floor: Graphic Novels ; PN6725.L496 S6 2020)

Snapdragon is ELECTRIC. I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. I bought it because it was on the discount shelf at a secondhand bookstore, and was expecting a discount quality. But I was absolutely hooked from page one to page done! Snapdragon is the perfect storm of a cute but melancholic story, beautiful art, and a wonderful protagonist. It’s got it all: Witches, roadkill, motorcycles, a mysterious beast, and puppies! I would describe it like “Owl House but a bit more grounded and also next to a swamp”.

Snapdragon is a quick, punchy, feel good story that can and should be read by everyone. Go check it out!

Bunt! By Ngozi Ukazu and Mads Rupert 

(coming soon to the library, check back next semester!)

This one’s for all my sporty art kids out there! Bunt! Dares to ask: “What if a bunch of art kids had to play softball in order to stay in school because tuition is scary and scholarships are hard to get?” This book has such a wonderful depiction of art school, you can definitely tell that the author spent many nights scratching away at a wacom monitor. It’s one of the most relatable depictions of college that i’ve seen, making fun of art kids the way only art kids can. It’s also a wonderful love letter to softball, which is a bonus.

The story is funny, the characters are earnest, the art is spot-on, and someone slides to home plate in a fursuit. It’s incredible!

Blog post written by Mili Walton, Illustration '27, Library Research Consultant 

All About Zines! 

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the library, you’ve probably seen some little booklets lying around. Maybe you’ve ignored it, maybe you’ve picked it up and had a peek through, maybe you’ve taken it back to your room and put it up on your wall as a fun decoration. If you were unaware, the little piece of folded paper you’ve interacted with there is called a zine! And you’ve just done your part in the role that zines play in society- reaching, teaching, and strengthening communities. 

Last semester, I made the “Radical Reading” zine that focused on censorship and book banning within the state of Florida. I made this because I felt like people needed to know how severe this issue is specifically within Florida. I had never made a zine before, and I found the whole experience to be extremely rewarding and effective in connecting with the Ringling community and Sarasota area. My zine has traveled from the library, to the coffee shop across the street, all the way to the ALA conference this past summer! Zines truly are an effective, fun, meaningful way to share information and start a conversation. 

Ok, so what is a zine? 

Zines have an incredibly extensive and colorful history. If we want to go really far back, it’s argued that Martin Luther’s 95 Theses was the first zine! And if you take a peek at the definition of a zine, a self published booklet or pamphlet geared towards a specific group within a community, it kind of fits! 

Better examples of early zines, specifically within America, started to appear during the early 1900s with the Harlem Renaissance “little magazines”. They often covered “Radicalism, experimental writing, and space for subversion.” They also frequently featured poetry and prose. Despite their significance to literary history, Little magazines are “exceedingly hard to track down”. 

Later on, in the 1930s, fanzine content became exceedingly popular. The first ever fanzine was “the Comet” which was a science fiction zine that ran for 3 years. From there, fanzine communities grew to extend into other fanbases, particularly music, horror, and comics. Notably, Star Trek zines were incredibly popular and even saved the show at one point after its cancellation was announced. Communities hold power! 

The use of photocopiers in the 1960s allowed zine creators to make more zines at a relatively cheap price. This is the era where the “homemade” and “grungy” look became commonplace for zines. Zines were frequently distributed at concerts, high schools, and universities. Because they were cheap and easy to make, people made and gave out hundreds of zines within their communities. They were there to educate, humor, and even inform people about music venues. Zines built and maintained communities across America!

In the 80s, zines commonly became a way for people to tackle societal issues and educate their communities on various topics. Due to the lack of public education during the AIDS epidemic, many queer creators took it into their own hands to create educational zines on the disease and safe sex. They were also “Used as a form of civil disobedience to protest the U.S government’s slow and ineffective response to the AIDS crisis.” This was also the time when the RIOTGRRRL movement began, and zines were used to educate people on feminist issues and social consciousness. These were popularized by many of the classic Riotgrrrl punk bands like Bikini kill and Bratmobile. 

Are zines still a thing? 

YES! Zines are not only an active thing on Ringling campus, but across the nation as a whole! Zine festivals are still happening often and always across cities, usually as local community building and educational events. It’s always good to keep an eye out at local comic shops/bookstores/libraries/community centers to see if any are happening near you. 

Bat City comics in Bradenton often hosts comic and zine related events! Whether that be festivals, creator nights, or informative sessions. Go check em out! 

What if I want to make a zine? 

You totally should! Part of the appeal of a zine is the ease and accessibility to make one. Sure, you can make a fancy one with a risograph or photocopied collage. Or you could just use a piece of paper and a pencil! There’s no specific way to make a zine, but there’s hundreds of things that a zine can be made for. Whatever you can think of, that can be a zine! 

• Want to show off your photography?

Blog written by Destini Brown, Creative Writing '27, Library Research Consultant.

I found myself back at the library. 

Again. 

No surprise. 

As a junior, I underestimated the workload and the new amount of responsibilities this year has to offer. The assignments that require every ounce of attention have led me to take more trips to the library, and I cannot complain. 

Third Floor But First in My Heart

I love every floor of the library; they all have something so unique to offer, whether it be the first floor’s helpful displays and free books or the second floor's extensive comic book section and Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. However, the third floor has a magnetic pull that I cannot resist.

As soon as I walk in, I take the elevator right up to the top. And I am welcomed by a quiet that you cannot find on any of the other floors. But that could also be because of the sign that tells people not to talk… Still! Quiet as can be. 

Then I take myself and my thirty-pound bag to one of the chairs at either side of the floor. Both sides of the floor offer something different; you can choose to sit at the windows that overlook our beautiful bayou and a distant view of downtown Sarasota, or the side that faces the street with the residences and dining hall. Nonetheless, you can find stunning natural light through both views, and a calm that no artificial light can bring. 

And if I want to get some fresh air or, at night, look at the stars, I can go to the terrace that overlooks the campus. And if I stay there long enough, I can forget all about  homework, that is, until the timer I set earlier brings me back to work. 

A Treasure Trove of Resources

But enough about my experience, and a little more about the floor. 

One of the more unique features of the floor is the mobile shelves that you can open and walk through to  find books on cultural studies, filmmaking, literature, philosophy, government, politics, and many more that I can’t fit all in one sentence. 

If you are interested in film and photography, you can find a wide variety of screenplays, scripts, film theory, and books on photography, both on how to create great photography and photobooks with collections from the best photographers around the world.

If you are interested in interior design,  animal anatomy, or contemporary art and its impacts on culture, or even rugs, the third floor has got you covered. 

And don’t even get me started on our section of oversized books. I vividly remember the first time I saw them, wondering how, in 20 years of living, I had never seen a book half my size. If you want a more in-depth look at that topic, check out library research consultant Milli Walton's blog post, Big Things Happening with Big Books! 

On the floor, we have posted on the walls a Call Number Map that helps you find out where the book you want is located. For example, in section B you can find books on philosophy, psychology, religion, and mythology. The letters will be at the top of each shelf, along with a short description of the subgenres of books in that specific topic.

Some of my Favorite Finds

Here are some of my favorite finds I found in the P section of the library. All three of these books are helpful for writers, and filmmakers who want to go beyond classroom learning. 

1. Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - A book that describes Stephen King's journey as a writer and his advice to aspiring writers.
2. Story by Robert McKee - An in-depth book that covers story and act structure for screenplays.
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: The Shooting Script - The shooting script of a brilliant film about love and heartbreak.

Study Spaces and Amenities

And remember you don’t have to come alone! The third floor also has a large group study room for private group study, with whiteboards, a television, and plenty of chairs, no matter how big your party is!

But remember- it’s first-come, first-served so get there quick!

Come Visit Us!

Any student of the arts can benefit from going to Alfred R. Goldstein Library. You could close your eyes, choose any book at random, and find a book that could change your life as a creative person. And this blog post can barely scratch the surface of what this floor has to offer, so stop reading and go check it out for yourself! 

We can't wait to see you there!

A collaborative blog post/end-of-the-year wrap-up from Instructional Design Librarians Kelly and Dan, and Research Consultants Emily Kang, Mili Walton, Hayden Oliveri, Destini Brown, and Anna Herrara!

A Wrap-up from your Librarians

Kelly: Wowza! This semester has been a wild one, and we’ve accomplished so much this past year at the library. We’ve had an absolute blast with helping students do research, participating in Wonderful Wednesdays and Paws and Relax, and so much more. We created so much cool library swag and signage! We hired THREE new Student Research Consultants, we made our Research Consultation Office feel more like a classroom, and we’ve been enjoying every busy day!

I especially appreciated being invited to special events like the "Beyond Roberto, el Zorro Rojo: Art, Autism & Authorship" event celebrating our student Antonio Machado Boada who published a book with Penguin Random House, the Earth Day/Terrific Tuesday celebration, having the Pop-Up Public Library back on campus, and even things I participated in off campus such as presenting on “A Zine History” at St. Pete College as part of St Pete Zine Fest, the BAM! Fest in Bradenton with Professor Gary Barker and our friends from Bat City Comic Professionals (and oh, did I mention the current special collections exhibition “Off-Panel: a Ringling College x Bat City Comic Professionals Collaboration”?!). As you might have noticed, I love campus and community collaboration, so feel free to reach out to me if you would like to connect! I even had a poster proposal accepted for the upcoming ARLIS/NA conference on community engagement and using comics and zines for educational and outreach purposes! I'm so happy to be working at Goldstein Library (and I will miss our graduating student worker Emily dearly)!

Dan: As the academic year comes to a close at the Alfred R. Goldstein Library, we’re reflecting on an incredible year of learning, collaboration, and growth. It’s been my first full year as Instructional Design Librarian at Ringling College of Art and Design, and I’m so proud of all we’ve accomplished together! From visiting dozens of classes to teach students how to make the most of our library’s powerful resources, to presenting on critical information literacy and developing a CIL framework for classroom use, we’ve been busy helping students and faculty engage deeply with research, media, and creative inquiry.

Beyond the classroom, we’ve been active across campus—tabling at events like Wonderful Wednesdays, Paws and Relax, and open houses to connect with our community in fun and meaningful ways. We’ve had the pleasure of working alongside five outstanding student research assistants this year; while we’re sad to say goodbye to Emily, we’re excited to see all she will accomplish in her next chapter. We also welcomed three fantastic new staff members, and we look forward to their continued contributions next year. To our graduates: we are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what’s next. Congratulations and best wishes from all of us at the library!

Congratulations on your graduation, Emily! Class of 2025!

Emily: Hi, everyone! My name is Emily Kang, and you may have previously seen my art on the walls of the library or a post by me on this blog. I'm a fourth year majoring in General Illustration and I'll be graduating in two weeks. I started working with Kelly and Dan as a Research Consultant in February of last year, and to be honest, I'm torn at the fact that it's already over. Make no mistake -- even while majoring in the most visual of all mediums, I love reading. As a kid, I'd check out as many books as humanly possible at my local library and make my mom help carry them to the car. Occasionally there would be multiple trips made, me with books stacked in my arms higher than I could look past it and my mom hefting a plastic cart that could do nothing but bend under the weight of all that paper. Looking back, there's no doubt that it must've been a hassle for the workers, too. There's so much unseen that goes into the function of a library to make it run every day. Yet I also know that there must've been some happiness in seeing that kind of passion. What touched me most was learning how enthusiastic the Goldstein staff are about their workplace. They love reading, are very passionate about their knowledge, and want to share it all with as many students as they can. Back in the summer when I was working on the third floor map, I distinctly remember a conversation with Christina, the Circulation Assistant Manager, on what was or wasn't allowed in the library. 'Sleeping was okay,' she told me. 'Actually, we had to move some chairs so there were more inviting spots for people to lay around.' What about bringing in food? 'That's okay (within reason) too. Especially the first floor section, near the cafe. The goal is to make students feel that they can spend as much time as they'd like here.' That's a fact I love bringing up when talking about the library -- to never forget that they want you here. Invite your friends to hang out on the second floor and let the staff know what about the space you like and dislike. Borrow CD players from the front desk and use the third floor light box and ask the library to purchase that new juicy romance novel you want to read, because there might be others who feel the same way. And find out everything about Goldstein Library. It's a space meant for you, so take advantage of it. Thank you and goodbye!

A Word from Our Busy Bee

Mili: The library is such a wonderful environment to work, learn, and collaborate in. I’ve been able to do a lot of really fun and impactful things through the library- Like tabling for events, welcoming the mobile library, designing stickers and T-shirts, and making my “Radical Reading” zine. I’ve also loved helping students get a better understanding of the catalog and all the resources available to them through the library. I’ve got to assist really cool people with some really cool projects- the work rewards itself. I can’t wait to continue my work with the Ringling library next year (My Junior year! Time really flies!) 

And now…Introducing our Newest Research Consultants:

Anna: My name is Anna Herrera, I am currently a freshman in Entertainment Design. I like the library because of the vast amount of resources they have for students. In particular, I have used the light tables, printers, computers, and databases for many academic and personal projects this year. I also appreciate the fact that the library has dvds and dvd players as someone who is passionate about physical media. I enjoy working at the library as well because of all the opportunities it has given me. I’ve had a lot of fun working on projects like buttons, zines, and my own Remy design for some animated shorts I hope to make for the library. Working at the library has also allowed me to meet new people and tell others about all the cool stuff they have to offer.

Destini: Hello! I am Destini Brown, and I am a second-year student in Creative Writing who loves screenplays and anything film-related. I am a research consultant at the library. I chose to work here because of my love of the library’s incredible selection of books, especially the books on photography in film that I spend my free time reading. Being a research consultant allows me to mix my interests in both finding helpful resources and being able to help students with their Ringling workload! If you see me on campus feel free to say hello!

Hayden: My name is Hayden Oliveri, I am a Second Year Illustration student. I chose Ringling because it had one of the best programs for illustration and it was close to home. I loved how they run the illustration department and the courses they offer here have helped me develop my art. The reason I wanted to work at the library was because I am at the library a lot, it is one of my favorite places on campus. In my first year, I would look up some of my favorite artists to see if their art books were in the library. One of my favorite books was The Big Kopinski by Karl Kopinski. I loved his style, especially his pencil sketches. I am also the Sketchbook Club President and the club meets every Saturday in the Library, I knew the library was the perfect place for the club as there are so many resources to study from, and I could bring in any books that are relevant to the artist or theme we’re studying at that meeting.

Thanks for a great year, everyone, and we're looking forward to working with you all in the Fall!

Blog written by Tim DeForest, Library Circulation Manager. 

Will Eisner Week is annually the week of March 6th, and celebrates the “father of the Graphic Novel”. Visit willeisner.com for more information on Will Eisner and his legacy, and check out our materials on Will Eisner here at the Goldstein Library.

In 1940, the Register and Tribune Syndicate of Des Moines began to distribute a 16-page comic book that newspapers would include in their Sunday edition (along with the regular comics section). Though their subscriber base was never large and their page count eventually dropped to 8 pages, this newspaper/comic book hybrid ran for 12 years.

The main feature for the comic was The Spirit, created by Will Eisner. Except for a few years spent in the army during the war, Eisner drew the strip and did most of the writing. He often re-wrote scripts when he didn't originate them, so The Spirit was pretty much his baby from start to finish.

Superheroes were all the rage in 1940, but Eisner resisted the pressure to turn his hero--criminologist Denny Colt--into a costumed hero. Instead, he slapped a mask and a pair of gloves on the character, which made everyone happy and left him free to tell the sort of stories he wanted to tell. Any one Spirit story might be a comedy, a hard-boiled crime story, a fantasy or a combination of genres. Often the Spirit was only a peripheral character in a particular story, because that story was centered on an inevitably fascinating one-shot character.

I got to meet Mr. Eisner once when he spoke here at Ringling way back in 2004. It was just before my first book came out and the teacher (David Steiling) giving him the campus tour mentioned this. Mr. Eisner was kind enough to ask me about the book. When I mentioned that it was in part about pulp magazines such as Black Mask, he said he learned to write short stories from reading Black Mask. This was a magazine published before World War II and was responsible for popularizing the hard-boiled school of detective fiction. These were stories about tough private eyes and violent criminals, told in a terse style that doesn’t waste any words in getting to the point.

And he was indeed a master of the short story format. The post-war Spirit stories, which usually ran only 7 pages, were models of concise storytelling and often packed an extraordinary emotional punch.

For instance, the November 10, 1949 issue is about Freddie, a young man who is apparently well-liked in his neighborhood, but who sick of his life and wants to move on. Moving on costs money and the most convenient way to get money is to rob the local candy store.

Well, we've been told right up front that this story is about the last ten minutes of Freddie's life, so it's not surprising when things go wrong. Freddie ends up killing the candy store owner and, after spending several tense moments serving malteds to customers while a corpse is hidden behind the counter, he's forced to make a run for it. The Spirit nearly catches him in a subway station--Freddie makes a break for it, but his hands get stuck in a subway car, pulling him to his death against a steel support.

Several things make the story work. First, Eisner quickly but effectively sketches out Freddie's character for us. He looks young and his character design wouldn't be out-of-place in an Archie comic, but we soon see that he's a bitter man who's about to make several horribly bad decisions. We are made to sympathize with Freddie to a degree, but without in anyway being told to excuse his actions.

Also, Eisner casually inserts a number of elements that remind us the entire story takes place in only ten minutes. For instance, on the first page there's a little girl bouncing a ball while reciting an alphabet rhyme. She's on "A my Name is Alice" when Freddie walks by on his way to the candy shop. She's still at the game, up to R when Freddie is fleeing for his life a few minutes later. It's such a simple thing, but it works perfectly, reminding us just how quickly events are unfolding.

. 

I can really believe that Eisner learned to write short stories from Black Mask. Were this a prose story, it's exactly the sort of tale you'd have expected to find in that magazine.

It you have an interest in writing and/or illustrating graphic literature, then this story has a lot to teach you about using both script and art together to tell a story well; how to lay out a plot without wasting time; and how to give your stories a real sense of movement and the passage of time. You can read this story in A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics, located on the library’s second floor in the Graphic Novel section (call # PN6726 .S58 1981).

 Tim DeForest has worked at Ringling for over 35 years, and has a wealth of comic knowledge! This blog was originally published on Tim's blog in February 2014 - over ten years ago, and ten years after he met Will Eisner! Visit him behind the library circulation desk, and be sure to check out the rest of his blog (Comics, old time radio, and other cool stuff), the other books he's written (which we have available for check out in Goldstein Library), and his YouTube Videos on comics.

There is a Sarasota Herald-Tribune article about Eisner's visit to Sarasota in 2004, when he was 86 years old: HUISKING, CHARLIE. 2004. “Will Eisner’s Art Goes Far beyond ‘Funny Books.’” Sarasota Herald-Tribune. March 12, 2004. https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2004/03/12/will-eisners-art-goes-far-beyond-funny-books/28793548007/. 

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at OSU contains correspondence between Will Eisner and Ringling School of Art and Design in their Special Collections. Librarian Kelly Lindberg has reached out to OSU to ask if they can share this correspondence for our own archives, check back soon for updates!

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Blog post written by Kelly Lindberg, Instructional Design Librarian

Conspiracies, Capitalism, and Collage: 

How Artists’ Books and Comics Confront the Chaos

In an era where conspiracy theories shape political realities and deepfakes blur the line between truth and fiction, it often feels like we’re living inside a comic book. The Department of Truth takes this unsettling idea to its extreme: what if reality itself was determined by mass belief?

Almost a month into Trump’s second term and almost five years after the pandemic started, I’d like to recommend this comic that I’ve paired with several artists’ books that resonate with the current state of the country. We’ve been in this world overwhelmed with misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes for quite some time now, and it often feels like everything is changing too fast for any of us to keep up. To cope with current events, I’ve recently read every single issue of the comic The Department of Truth, which I first discovered by attending my local comic shop Bat City Comic Professional’s Fresh Start Book Club, all of which I cannot recommend enough.

Much like The Department of Truth, artists' books have long been a medium for questioning dominant narratives, exposing political manipulation, and challenging how we perceive reality. By pairing these works, we can explore how visual storytelling—whether in comics or book art—helps us navigate this post-truth world.

The Department of Truth and the War on Reality

Writer James Tynion IV, artist Martin Simmonds, letterer Aditya Bidikar, and designer Dylan Todd form the brilliant team behind The Department of Truth, which was first released on September 30, 2020. The series presents an alternate America in which Lee Harvey Oswald is alive and leading the government’s “Department of Truth,” an organization designed to push the nation’s agenda by propelling mass belief in constructed realities. In this world, every conspiracy theory that gains enough traction becomes real.

Tynion has noted that his inspiration for The Department of Truth came from the 2016 presidential election. The comic explores how misinformation spreads and how belief shapes power structures, reflecting the challenges we face in today’s media landscape.

Fig. 1: pg 79 of The Department of Truth: The Complete Conspiracy Volume One, Martin Simmonds, Image Comics

Fig. 2: pg. 199 of The Department of Truth: The Complete Conspiracy Volume One, Martin Simmonds, Image Comics

I firmly believe that Ringling staff and students will particularly appreciate how much depth and care was put into the creation of this series. In a fantastically enlightening interview with the comics’ creators, The Nation points out, “A reader experiencing The Department of Truth for the first time will likely make connections to the collage-heavy art movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, like surrealism or pop art. The most direct influence seems to be Brought to Light, a “graphic docudrama” anthology by Alan Moore, Bill Sinkiewicz, Joyce Brabner, Tom Yeates, and Paul Mavrides from 1988, whose style was partially influenced by the propaganda comics the CIA once issued in countries like Nicaragua to disrupt leftist movements.” Simmonds tells the interviewer: “My relationship with collage goes back to my love of comic artists Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave McKean, and Jon J Muth, mixed-media artist Robert Rauschenberg, and graphic designer David Carson, among others”. 

Martin Simmonds' visuals using mixed-media techniques reinforce the idea that truth itself is fragmented and contested. You can see an example of this in Figure 3 (shown below) which uses inverted, cut-up pieces of the pledge of allegiance as the gutters of the comic.

Fig. 3: excerpt from pg. 195 of The Department of Truth: The Complete Conspiracy Volume One, Martin Simmonds, Image Comics

Fig. 4: pg. 309 of The Department of Truth: The Complete Conspiracy Volume One, Martin Simmonds, Image Comics

While I’m amazed by Simmonds’ artistry throughout the whole series, as demonstrated in the snapshots above, I’d like to highlight issue #7 of the comic, a flashback story illustrated by guest artist Tyler Boss, who tells the story of a young “Doc” Hynes who publishes and circulates his manifesto “Resist the Men in Black!”.  Inspired by early science fiction fanzines, this issue connects the comic’s themes to real-world conspiracy subcultures, making it an especially relevant discussion point. Hynes eventually wears tin foil as a makeshift hat to shield his brain from telepathic brain waves, inspired by an article he read in an issue of Amazing Stories. The Ringling Library collection has a copy of a similar publication called Astounding Science from 1938, and you can view it by appointment.

Fig. 5: pg. 172, Fig. 6: pg 174, The Department of Truth: The Complete Conspiracy Volume One, 

Tyler Boss, Image Comics

Artists’ Books as Counter-Narratives

Photograph of materials in the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center at Ringling College of Art + Design

Just as The Department of Truth unpacks the mechanisms of misinformation, many artists’ books challenge the political and social structures that enable it. Similarly, artists’ books use mixed-media and experimental design to disrupt conventional narratives. As Jane Anne Carlin notes in Artists' Books as Catalysts for Social Change, “Approaching conversations about difficult issues using the artists’ book as a jumping-off point causes us to slow down, reflect, and think deeply.” This deep thinking also allows for the capability of differentiating fact from fiction—a skill we all need to harness.

Listed below are some powerful works that, much like the comic, force us to question the narratives we’re told:

Louise Odes Neaderland’s Trump Circus and Trump Wallpaper Borders reflect the manipulation of political spectacle—much like the Department’s work in the comic. 

Fig. 7: photograph of the opened box of Trump Wallpaper Borders, 

Another favorite of mine that we have in the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center by Neaderland is the Nuclear Fan.

Fig. 8: photograph of the Nuclear Fan, Louise Odes Neaderland

Fred Hagstrom’s The Blue and The Red examines the January 6th attack on the Capitol, using congressional testimony and archival photographs printed in relief and silkscreen to document the real-world consequences of misinformation.

Fig. 9, 10: photographs of pages from The Blue and The Red, Fred Hagstom

David Stairs’ Living in Denial, U.S.A. juxtaposes economic statistics with maps of Oregon, questioning the realities we accept about data (I also highly recommend viewing Mona Chalabi’s TEDTalk on bad statistics for more on this topic).

Fig. 12, 13: photographs of pages from Living in Denial, U.S.A. by David Stairs

Dale Edwin Wittig’s Capitalism’s Collapse ruminates on a near-apocalyptic vision of crumbling global capitalism with his hand scrawled captions and graphic illustrations, mirroring themes of instability explored in The Department of Truth.

Fig. 14: photograph of pages from Capitalism’s Collapse by Dale Edwin Wittig

Tatana Kellner and Ann Kalmbach’s Whereas... we declare compiles text from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (proposed to the United Nations by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1948) alongside statistics on immigration, challenging governmental narratives about rights and citizenship.

Fig. 15: photograph of pages from Whereas... we declare by Tatana Kellner and Ann Kalmbach

All of the artists’ books mentioned can be viewed in Ringling’s Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center by appointment. You can read the first issue of The Department of Truth for free online through Image Comics, or check out the omnibus from the Alfred R. Goldstein Library. 

**For combatting misinformation, I’d also recommend reading How to Win the War On Truth : an illustrated guide to how mistruths are sold, why they stick, and how to reclaim reality by Samuel C. Spitale, illustrated by Allan Whincup, or you can book a session with me and I’ll nerd out over Mike Caulfield.

P.S. - Jordie Bellaire is a Ringling alum who was a colorist for The Department of Truth!

About the Author

Kelly Lindberg is an Instructional Design Librarian at Ringling College of Art + Design’s Alfred R. Goldstein Library, with a longstanding interest in zines and comics. She actively incorporates these passions into her teaching of information literacy to students. A shorter version of this blog was published on bookarttheory.org for the College Book Arts' Association.

Feel free to connect with her at klindber@ringling.edu, or on Instagram: @comic.kelly

Works Cited

Carlin, Jane Anne. "Artists' Books as Catalysts for Social Change." Art Libraries Journal 44, no. 1 (01, 2019): 2-8, 

Hagstrom, Fred, and publisher Strong Silent Type Press. The Blue and the Red / Fred Hagstrom. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Strong Silent Type Press, 2024.

Keljera, ML. “A Comic That Captures the Antic Energy of a Post-Truth World.” The Nation. March 2023. 

Kellner, Tana, Ann E Kalmbach, and publisher Women’s Studio Workshop. Whereas... We Declare / KaKeArt: Tatana Kellner & Ann Kalmbach. Rosendale, NY: Women’s Studio Workshop, 2018.

Neaderland, Louise Odes. The Nuclear Fan. 3rd ed. Brooklyn, NY: Bone Hollow Arts, 1999.

Neaderland, Louise Odes. Trump Circus. Brooklyn, NY: Louise Neaderland, 2017.

Neaderland, Louise Odes. Trump Wallpaper Borders. Brooklyn, New York: [Louise Odes Neaderland], 2017.

Stairs, David. Living in Denial USA. Mt. Pleasant, Mich., D. Stairs, 2005.

Tynion, James, Martin Simmonds, Aditya Bidikar. The Department of Truth. Portland, OR: Image Comics, 2020-ongoing.

Wittig, Dale. Capitalisms Collapse / Dale Edwin Wittig. San Francisco, California: Red Hammer Press, 2017.

Blog post written by Olga Nerciu, Motion Design '27, Special Collections Assistant

Walking down the aisles, enclosed with shelves of meticulously placed books, each enveloped and assigned a long code of letters and numbers. I would scan through them, looking for the right one, the numbers would hint at where to look. “Bingo!” Take it, scan it, register in the system, display on the shelves, scan it again, put it back. This is how my shifts started as a Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center student worker. It did not take long to learn how wrong I was reducing our collection’s items to their mere numbers.

I am Olga, motion design sophomore at Ringling College of Art and Design from Moldova. In fall 2024, I started working as a Special Collection student assistant, picking a wide range of skills and responsibilities, from organizing and registering books, to creating merchandise and even writing a blog! By my side, I always have Muling Tzai, another student worker from Taiwan, and Cheri Marks, Special Collections Librarian and Archivist(my boss). Our Special Collections Center specializes in rare artists’ books, publication projects, art prints, zines and many more. We are driven to introduce the general public to both niche and recognized artistic creations via hands-on object based experience. I myself was amazed by the variety of items in our collection:  broadsides, campus materials, democratic multiples, documentation of time-based and performance projects, engravings, exhibition publications, experimental writing, fine press books, flip books, handmade editions, historic facsimiles, parlor toys, photographs, pop-up books, prints, rare books, zines, and more.

My favorite part about Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center is the unique tactile experience we give access to. Anyone coming to our center can literally touch art and connect with the artist on the other side of the page. I believe that utilizing primary sources is a game changer in any scholarly research. Engaging with physical original materials rewards with more insights into a particular subject, compared to internet/digital research. Touching or closely observing an artifact allows researchers to feel a deeper connection to the material. For example, examining an ancient manuscript provides a sense of its age, authenticity, and craftsmanship.

Images by Olga Nerciu, spreads from “Giving Fear a Proper Name, Detroit” by Susan Kae Grant, 2025

My favorite artwork to physically interact with is “Giving Fear a Proper Name, Detroit” by Susan Kae Grant. It follows the artist’s journey as she moved to Detroit, supported by images from her dreams, nightmares and daily experiences, interpreted in symbolic manner. I was stunned to find strands of artist’s hair, human teeth, accompanied by pictures of body parts, nails and increments of dirt and sand. The overwhelming experience from the book could have never been felt through digital research. Seeing the book and touching it, even smelling it, submerged me into the artist's world, where I was guided by mysterious pieces of her writing to undergo the same experiences and storylines.

Hence, experiences are made to be shared. Artworks such as “Giving Fear a Proper Name, Detroit” inspire us to hold exhibitions, led by conceptual themes that unite various art pieces and artists, bringing a holistic experience of an era or movement to our audience. Our visitors are welcome to interact with the items and witness the line between a book and a work of art blur. Our Special Collections Center is open to collaborations and exhibition ideas proposed by faculty and students! I am most curious to observe my colleague, Muling, creating branding identity for our exhibitions, setting the mood for it. Thanks to her, our visitors always leave with a cute sticker, postcard or brochure to remember the event.

I find myself again, walking down the aisles on my weekly shift, looking straight through envelopes, through long codes of letters and numbers, as each book is rather a story, a person, an entire universe for me to dive into. This is how my shifts are, as a Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center student worker.

This blog post can also be viewed on the College Book Art Association blog, Book Art Theory.

Blog post written by Emily Kang, Illustration '25, Library Research Consultant

Hello again, everyone! It's about that time where the school year is starting to buckle down almost to an uncomfortable degree. You'll have to stay up longer working on those assignments, and the people around you are gripping their tablet pens harder in a rush to get things done. When it comes down to that, remember take the time to curl up with a fictional story with art that flies off the pages and a message that contemplates the fleetingness of human life…

Today we're going to be discussing my favorite visual medium of all time, the thing that rocketed me into my art career and filled my childhood with wonder: manga. In fact, it was the local library near my house that started me on my hunt for these elusive comics. 

If you've ever been a fan of a show that broadcasted outside of your country, and could never get any merchandise or support for, you were probably aware of one thing: this media was not made for you in mind. It's been a furious battle to want to support your favorite comics and stories while not being able to read them in their original language. Fortunately, localization for our favorite Japanese manga has become commonplace: and we have the privilege of being able to read them at our local Goldstein library.

I'll make this list in the most appealing way I know how. Art students love visuals. So do I. So I'll talk about some of the most stylistic manga we've got on the shelves.

Land of the Lustrous

Land of the Lustrous is hypnotically beautiful. It's a love letter to line, shape and rhythm wrapped up in Buddhist iconography. The open landscapes seem endless, and the buildings host large arcs that open up to the sky with some of the thinnest lines I've seen used in manga.  Author Haruko Ichikawa is a master at capturing the intricate, wiry forms of The Lustrous as they travel through the golden wheat lands and along the crust of the shimmering seas. Enter main character Phos, who is the weakest among their kind and prone to shattering into pieces; they wish to find their own purpose as their companions battle the Lunarians. This manga is an experience, hands-down. It's also an open question to humanity from something that is not quite human: what is one supposed to do without a purpose in life? And how can you find one if you don't have any skills?

Tekkon Kinkreet

Matsumoto, Taiyo Matsumoto, TaiyoTaiyō Matsumoto's chaotic style is irresistibly appealing and instantly recognizable in motif: just look for the roughed-up boy in goggles sitting on the edge of a broken city. Tekkon Kinkreet (or Black and White) tells the story of two orphans known as stray cats who terrorize the gangs and citizens of Treasure Town. These yin-yang brothers hop along the fences of stylistically leaned buildings and leap through the sky littered with Tibetan style clouds. The style is downright crude, to put it kindly, and leans towards the styles of an independent Western comic rather than a Japanese one. It's a fascinating, beautiful read. Among Matsumoto's works also is multiple volumes of the series Sunny.

Witch Hat Atelier

The gorgeous delicacy of Kamome Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier has given it a lot of attention on social media, with an animated series being set to release sometime in 2015. The author not only puts bucketloads of details into the clothes and hair of the characters, she also makes a point to focus on the landscapes. The characters travel through old, traditional towns carefully lined buildings and stretches of mountain ranges all littered patiently placed dots and hatchmark rendering. Reading it gives me the same sort of wistfulness and comfort as I would opening a European fairy tale book with gold leaf engraved on the sides. It's a beautiful story about the potential of magic and kindness and growing up, set through the eyes of 10 year old Coco, who is taken on as an apprentice of the mysterious witch Qifrey.

Double

I will proudly admit to being the one who requested Double by Ayako Noda for our library. This is a niche pick but has quickly grown to become one of my favorites series. It's a work about the curious relationship between two actors and their love for the stage. The transition of theater onto comic pages is something that works beautifully with the author's style –  the facial expressions are bold and endlessly dramatic, even bordering on eerie; the characters' movements are always animated and bright. The wispy lines and usage of dramatic blacks suggest an off-ness to the work that is present in the heavily codependent relationship of the main characters. Follow Takara Takarada (yes, that's his real name), who struggles even to read, dress and feed himself without his friend's help but is a secret genius under the lights of the stage.

There are so many more of my favorites, some of which have yet to be added in the collection. This world is huge, and manga is just a small piece of the larger industry of art and comics in the world. But it touches the hearts of many. (As always, if you have a recommendation for the library, submit a request so that you and your friends can enjoy it!) 

Blog post written by Mili Walton, Illustration '27, Library Research Consultant 

I like to wander. There’s something so simple about it, going around from here to there with no end goal in mind or solid reason to walk about in the first place. It’s nice- It’s grounding. One of my favorite places to wander is the third floor of the library. It’s quiet, on occasion it’s empty, and it’s full of extensive collections of fascinating books. Once you get started, it’s easy to lose your time between the even-set rows of shelves. 
 

Tonight I wandered. I took maybe 15 minutes to just see what I could find, and find I did! I discovered the cookbook section of the library, which I was unaware we had, and paged through a book all about coffee. My favorite find from that section was definitely The Great American Cereal Book; How Breakfast Got Its Crunch, A book all about the history of cereal! It’s one of those topics that you wouldn’t think to be curious about, but now I find myself wondering how cereal got so popular in the US. Why is it marketed mostly to children? When did it get so sugary? How has the cereal market affected the country as a whole? Guess I’ll have to read to find out. 

Two similarly interesting books I found a bit further down the shelves were The Art of Bollywood and The Art of Pulp Fiction. Both of these books touch on the history of art and how it depicts content, whether that be a book or a movie. The similarities in style between the two were fascinating, and it was fun to peek into two worlds that I’m a fan of, but not as knowledgeable as I would like to be. Both would be excellent resources for an illustration project. 

My favorite book I found was Alternative Movie Posters; Film Art From the Underground, a book cataloging many incredible alternative posters for all our favorite films. The author mentions in the forward that he wanted to show off these rare, underappreciated gems of film history. Many of the posters shown in the book were, in my opinion, better than what was put on as the final product. I am a person who will 99% of the time pick an interesting, dynamic, colorful poster over a “every famous actor in the movie plastered onto the composition and they’re all looking somewhere off-screen”. This book was a breath of fresh air, something to remind me that brilliant artists are, indeed, working hard to give entertaining, stunning different pieces of art for film. I want every poster featured in this book on my wall. 

All of these books I found randomly, quickly, just by walking down the aisles and scanning the shelves. If you have a spare minute, I recommend using it to aimlessly wander the library. You never know what you’ll find, but it will be just what you never knew you were looking for. 

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to our library's resources: all students, faculty, and staff at Ringling now have access to a free full subscription to The New York Times! Whether you’re interested in arts, culture, politics, or global news, this comprehensive resource can enrich your academic journey, fuel your creativity, and keep you informed on the latest trends and developments in your fields of interest.

Stay Informed with the Latest News

The New York Times is renowned for its award-winning journalism and in-depth reporting. You’ll have real-time access to breaking news from around the world, providing a deeper understanding of current events, policies, and cultural movements. This is a valuable tool, whether you're studying art history, media studies, or international relations.

Access In-Depth Features and Analysis

Go beyond the headlines! The NYT excels at feature stories, investigative journalism, and critical analysis. Its long-form articles cover everything from art world controversies and fashion critiques to politics and technology, offering insights that can inform your research projects, essays, and classroom discussions.

Explore the Arts Section

As students and faculty in an arts-focused institution, you’ll particularly appreciate the extensive Arts section. From reviews of the latest art exhibitions to interviews with artists, designers, and cultural figures, the NYT is a treasure trove of information for anyone studying or working in creative fields. It covers everything from visual art to music, theater, film, and dance, keeping you in the loop with the global arts scene.

Unlimited Digital Access & Archives

The subscription includes unlimited access to the NYT website and app, so you can read it anytime, anywhere. But it doesn’t stop there: you also gain access to the full NYT archives, dating back to 1851! This is an incredible research tool, offering primary sources and historical context that can enhance your coursework and deepen your understanding of any subject matter.

NYT Learning Network & TimesMachine

The NYT Learning Network provides teaching resources, lesson plans, and ideas for using The New York Times in the classroom. For educators, this is an invaluable resource for integrating current events into lesson plans. The TimesMachine is a virtual microfilm reader that allows you to explore old issues of the paper as they originally appeared, complete with photographs, ads, and more—a fascinating resource for history and media studies projects.

NYT Cooking and Games

Need a break from your studies? The subscription also includes access to NYT Cooking, with thousands of recipes to inspire your next culinary adventure, and NYT Games, featuring crossword puzzles, the mini, and more—perfect for sharpening your mind or taking a creative break.

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The New York Times is known for transforming complex data sets into eye-catching graphics, making topics ranging from climate change and economic trends to demographic shifts much easier to understand. These visualizations are more than just charts and graphs; they are interactive tools that allow you to manipulate variables, explore different data sets, and gain a deeper understanding of trends and patterns.

Interactive Maps that Make the World Come Alive

Whether you’re studying urban development, migration patterns, or even the spread of art movements, the NYT’s interactive maps offer a rich, geographical perspective. From detailed election maps that update in real-time to explorations of urban design trends across cities worldwide, these tools make the world’s complexities easier to grasp.

Personalize Your Experience with Interactive Surveys

One of the most engaging features of the NYT’s interactive data journalism is the way it involves readers in the storytelling process. For example, the Times frequently uses interactive quizzes and surveys to help you understand your place in larger social trends. Want to see how your income compares to others in the U.S., or what your lifestyle choices say about broader cultural shifts? These interactive surveys turn abstract statistics into a personalized experience, making data relatable and thought-provoking.

Visual and Auditory Storytelling for Art Lovers

As a member of an arts-focused institution, you’ll appreciate how the NYT uses multimedia elements—from photo slideshows and video documentaries to animated graphics and audio clips—to create immersive storytelling experiences. The “Modern Love” column, for example, is often paired with beautiful illustrations and podcast-style audio to bring stories to life, while arts coverage includes interactive photo essays, virtual gallery tours, and 3D renderings of sculptures and installations.

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The NYT’s live data tools provide up-to-the-minute updates on topics like elections, stock markets, weather events, and even ongoing crises like pandemics or natural disasters. These tools offer a front-row seat to history in the making, presenting raw data that evolves in real-time. The level of detail and interactivity gives you a chance to analyze the information as it unfolds—an invaluable resource for students interested in politics, media studies, or any field where staying current is key.

A Gateway to Research & Creative Inspiration

For students and faculty working in creative disciplines, these interactive features are not just informative but can also serve as inspiration for your own projects. Exploring how the NYT presents data through infographics, animations, and maps can spark new ideas for multimedia projects, data-driven art, and even classroom presentations.

How to Access Your Free Subscription

Visit the New York Times for academia. Follow the instructions to set up your free account using your college email, and you’ll be all set!