Before selecting anime and manga titles for addition to the library, you probably want to know why bother? Why go through all the effort and expense to add these titles to the library? If you are not asking these questions, you undoubtedly know someone who is.
Both Robin Brenner's Understanding Manga and Anime (amazon) and Gilles Poitras' work Anime Essentials (amazon) provide some excellent rationale for why anime and manga are so popular. Check out Jane Halsall’s article The anime revelation for an account of a librarian who fell in love with anime and manga, it has reasoning for incorporating those titles into your collection and a rationale for why she loves them. In addition, its use as a literacy tool is explored in Michele Gorman’s work Getting Graphic (amazon).
Once you’ve decided to begin collecting you need some tools to facilitate the collection. Unfortunately, few books have been written that even touch on the subject, most such monographs focus on a broader topic, such as graphic novels. Steven Miller’s Developing and Promoting Graphic Novel Collections (amazon) provides some excellent advice for adopting manga into the library. Similarly a number of articles have been written about the process.
Online, you are a bit more fortunate, there are a number of different sites available. Collection development "anime": Anime's brave new world (web) by Robin Brenner is an excellent resource for incorporating anime into a library collection while Managing manga in your library (web) by Christian Zabriskie is similarly helpful for incorporating manga. The site Gilles' service to fans page (web) by Gilles Poitras is an amazing general resource for collection development. Pay close attention to the section entitled the Librarian’s Guide to Anime for especially useful information.
There are also a number of tools to help you review material, both online and in print. Try the Anime Encyclopedia, Revised & Expanded Edition (amazon) by Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy for reviews and bibliographical information about anime and Manga (amazon) by Jason Thompson for similar information about manga.
Online you can try the Anime News Network (web) for reviews, ratings, and extensive bibliographical information about anime and manga titles. The Anime Cafe (web) might also serve as a useful source of Anime information in review, especially it’s parent’s guide to anime.
Finally you might want to look about bestseller lists. The New York Times (web) recently created an independent category for ranking graphic novels. In addition Amazon.com provides lists of their best selling anime (web) and manga (web).
Understanding Manga and Anime (amazon) by Robin Brenner
Anime Essentials (amazon) by Giles Poitras
The anime revelation by Jane Halsall
Getting Graphic (amazon) by Michele Gorman
Developing and Promoting Graphic Novel Collections (amazon) by Steven Miller
Graphic novels: a sure bet for your library by Mary Jane Heaney
Graphic novels in academic libraries: From Maus to manga and beyond by Lorena O'English, J. Gregory Matthews, and Elizabeth Blakesley Lindsay
Collection development "anime": Anime's brave new world (web) by Robin Brenner
Managing manga in your library (web) by Christian Zabriskie
Gilles' service to fans page (web) by Gilles Poitras
Anime Encyclopedia, Revised & Expanded Edition (amazon) by Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy
Amazon.com books bestsellers: The most popular items in manga (web)
Amazon.com movies & TV bestsellers: The most popular items in anime & manga (web)