ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Wednesday, September 16) —Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) cardholders will soon have more graphic novel titles to chose from thanks to a generous donation from The Small Press Expo (SPX). North America’s premier independent cartooning and comic arts festival, The Small Press Expo donated more than 75 graphic novels, worth nearly $6,000, to the library system as part of their Graphic Novel Gift Program.

Anne Arundel County Public Library CEO Hampton “Skip” Auld accepted the donation from SPX’s Catherine Fraas at a special ceremony Wednesday at the Crofton Community Library’s Club 1117.

“We are grateful to the Small Press Expo for the gift of graphic novels to bolster our collection. We pride ourselves in offering materials to enrich and inspire the lives of all of our customers. The increase in these materials will allow us to serve the needs of young people and introduce this genre to countless others,” Auld said.

The donation encompasses more than 75 different titles come from several publishers, including Top Shelf Productions, Drawn & Quarterly, Koyama Press, Cartoon Books, Adhouse and Fantagraphics Books. The total value is estimated at roughly $5,988.

The Small Press Expo’s yearly Graphic Novel Gift program was established to expand the reach of graphic novels via public and academic libraries. Other recent recipients include the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System [2014] and the District of Columbia Public Library [2013].

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About the Small Press Expo (SPX): As North America’s premiere independent cartooning and comic arts festival, SPX brings together more than 4,000 cartoonists and comic arts enthusiasts every fall in Bethesda. This year’s festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 19 and from noon to 6 p.m. the following day. Please see www.spxpo.com for details.