Ana Došen
ORCID 0000-0002-6831-4749
Singidunum University, Faculty of Media and Communications (FMK), Belgrade
ana.dosen@fmk.edu.rs

doi: 10.19090/cit.2024.45.82-87
No. 45 (November 2024), p. 82-87

Manga Cafés as an Alternative Form of Library Practice

Summary

The first manga café was established in Japan in the late 1970s. The original concept of a small library collection in a café, where visitors could stay longer than just the time it takes to drink one beverage, has been developed over several decades. Today, there are thousands of such cafés across the country, many of which are open 24 hours a day. This paper aims to highlight the significance of these alternative library spaces, which further promote reading practices. The phenomenon of manga cafés is viewed from a cultural perspective as a specialized public space that, in addition to providing a reading space, also functions as a potential sanctuary to those less socially secure. The trend of manga cafés has spread beyond the borders of Japan, with such spaces opened in East Asia, North America, and Europe. However, the concepts of manga cafés outside of Japan vary and are adapted to the logic of sustainability and profitability to the local culture.

Keywords:

manga, manga café, Japan, school library, public library, reading, kashihonya

Submitted: 25th August 2024
Correction to the manuscript: 30th October 2024
Accepted for publication: 25th October 2024

Manga Cafés as an Alternative Form of Library Practice by Ana Došen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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