Special Paper

LGBT Genre Collection in a Public Library

Introduction

In the most recent years there has been an influx of patrons going into libraries and calling libraries requesting LGBT titles. Yet there are still many libraries not been able to fulfill the requests of the patrons due to the lack of materials in their collections. A public library is open to all race, creed or color; no matter what their choice of religion or life style. Therefore the library should - no must - have available materials that will satisfy the needs of all people from all walks of life. It becomes incumbent of the library’s professional staff to perform their duty as “advocates” of their various and diverse communities to see that the needs of all of their patrons are met. It is also crucial that libraries promote and materials and educate staff to be aware of resources, vendors and bibliographies available to conduct efficient RA services. This paper will discuss a brief time line of LGBT history, give suggestions to promote and offer list of bibliographies, resources, and vendors.

Time line

Advocates of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) literature began promoting the need for a larger representation of materials to be in the library in 1969. American Library Association formed the Task Force on Gay Liberation in 1970 now known as GLBT Round table and is the oldest LGBT professional organizations in the U.S. Not agreeing with the then current classification of books about gay liberation movement at Library of Congress they lobbied for the reclassification to be Homosexuality Lesbianism-Gay Liberation Movement, Homophile Movement instead of Abnormal Sexual Relations Including Sexual Crimes. This was done in 1972. Some years later in 1981 Sanford Berman wrote a book “The Joy of cataloging” which discussed accessing gay and lesbian books and information. In 1988 the Task Force on Gay Liberation released the International thesaurus of gay and lesbian index terms. The goal of this index was to establish standardized terms that could be used when cataloging LGBT materials. It also made Library of Congress Subject Headings more user friendly when being used by someone cataloging or archiving LGBT materials. Now LGBT materials are closer to being made visible and accessible in the library. In 1990 the first collection of Essays discussing the needs of LGBT patrons, collection development, censorship, LC subject heading, library exhibits and many more helpful things was published by Ellen Greenblatt and Cal Gough; Gay and Lesbian library services (9780899505350). An updated version entitled Serving LGBTIQ library and archives users: Essays on outreach, service collection and access (9780786448944) was published in 2010. The updated version offers information and discussion about Dewey Decimal Classification of LGBTIQ, collection assessment and development, and needed library services to be provided. In 2007 The Rainbow Project Task Force was formed, also through ALA to promote LGBTIQ materials among juvenile and young adult literature with library collections. In 2010 Over the Rainbow Committee was formed by the GLBT Round Table. They create bibliographies for adults on an annual basis to assist libraries in the selection of LGBT materials that will be suitable for their library.

This time line offers a brief look at how LGBT began to surface as literature, as a collection, as a genre in the public library. It know needs a chance to be as inclusive as all other collections/genres.

Promoting

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, and Transgender literature has always been and to some degree still is a hidden or non-existent collection/subject area or genre in the public library. Very few libraries promotes LGBT materials as it should be done due to intellection freedom and the ALA Library bill of rights. Although some library administration, staff and patrons my still become offended and have their own personal feelings about materials being displayed and available in the library; the LGBT community and those outside the community have the right to have available and accessible to them books, materials, and information that they desire to read. It should also be known to the patrons through proper promotion and advertisement that the library has a LGBT collection and kindly willing to assist you in acquiring the materials needed and wanted. There are several was of assuring this. Below are a few suggestion:

·       Libraries should have displays that includes books, pathfinders and/or book list, annotated bibliographies and book marks with hot pick of the month. This should be a permanent display and all books and information should be kept up to date.

·       Library web sites are always great areas for promoting collections, materials and programs. An LGBT blog would offer visualization. It could include a book of the week. The blog would also allow patrons feedback and suggestions.

·       Create genre book clubs and have one for LGBT community.

·       Many libraries offer programs for the different National holidays and ethnic celebrations. In the same manner as those celebrations are done some could be done to recognize Gay Pride month.

These are some suggestions that will bring some attention to this hidden collection/genre.

Resources

            Listed below are links to different resources and bibliographies that are updated frequently and made available for review and use to aid in building LGBT collections, creating and updating bibliographies, suggested reading list and pathfinders or used for a simple RA.

Bibliographies

GLBT News

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/news

GLBT News is the official news outlet for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Round Table of the American Library Association.

GLBT Reviews

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/publications/reviews

GLBT Reviews are book and media reviews from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) of the American Library Association (ALA). Our reviews are first published in the GLBTRT Newsletter, a quarterly publication of the GLBTRT. Each issue includes 15 to 20 reviews. The reviews cover GLBT-themed fiction and nonfiction material for children, young adults, and adults in a variety of genres and formats including: books, films, comics, music, and websites.

GLBT Religion & Spirituality - A Selective Bibliography

GLBT Religion & Spirituality - A Selective Bibliography: 1950–2000

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/popularresources/religion

GLBT Religion & Spirituality - A Selective Bibliography: 2001–2005

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/popularresources/religion2

GLBT Religion & Spirituality - A Selective Bibliography: 2006–2010

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/popularresources/religion3

GLBT Religion & Spirituality - A Selective Bibliography: 1950–2000

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/popularresources/religion4

Resources

Over the Rainbow Books - LGBT Books for Adult Readers

A Book List from Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association

Final Bibliographies - 2014 Over the Rainbow List: 71 LGBT Books for Adult Readers

http://www.glbtrt.ala.org/overtherainbow/archives/category/final-bibliographies

Rainbow Lists - http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/rainbow-books-lists

The Rainbow Book List is released every January. Books on the list are published within the assigned calendar year or between July 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year.

2014 Rainbow Book List            http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/1103

2013 Rainbow Book List            http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/1025

2012 Rainbow Book List            http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/953

2011 Rainbow Book List            http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/852

2010 Rainbow Book List             http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/867

2009 Rainbow Book List            http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/174

2008 Rainbow Book List             http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/153

Stonewall Book Awards List 1971 – 2014

The first and most enduring award for GLBT books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. Since Isabel Miller's Patience and Sarah received the first award in 1971, many other books have been honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.

http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award/honored

Vendors / Publishers

Lambda Literary

Lambda Literary believes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer literature is fundamental to the preservation of our culture, and that LGBTQ lives are affirmed when our stories are written, published and read.

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/resources/publishers/

Lori L. Lake

Lori (at) LoriLLake (dot) com

http://www.lorillake.com/glbt_pub.html

Publishing Links: Books, E-Books, Print Journals, E-Journals

The list only includes resources for which there is a web presence and its split into major categories: e-books, print books, print journals, and e-journals. It indicate which audience(s) each tends to publish. [G = gay, L = lesbian, T = transgender/transexual, B = bisexual, O = non-GLBT]

Publishers Archive – Directory of book publishers

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Book Publishers

Listing of book publishers that publish gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender books.

http://publishersarchive.com/glbt-book-publishers.php

Torquere Press Inc.

The mission of Torquere Press was, and is, to provide readers who love a good story with great books, and to promote gay and lesbian romance as a genre to be reckoned with. Torquere Press has always been about the readers of LGBT romance, providing those readers with great stories about men and women who truly care about each other. The catalog has grown from those first five books released in September 2003 to approximately two thousand titles and nearly two hundred authors.

http://www.torquerepress.com/

Conclusion

            LGBT is not only read by the LGBT community. There are several people that enjoy the casual reading of different genres. Therefore it is important that access to all genres are made available. The library should not endorse particular beliefs or views, nor the selection of any given book or other material equivalent to endorsement of the viewpoint of the author expressed therein. Within the frame work of the Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to read Statement adopted by the American Library Association, it does provide materials representing all approaches to public issues of a controversial nature. Providing resources which allow patrons to freely examine many points of view and make his own decisions and form its own opinion is one of the indispensable purposes of the library.

References

Freedom to Read. (1997-2014). Retrieved from American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/freedomreadstatement

Freedom to view. (1997-2014). Retrieved from American Library Association.

Libraries and the LGBTQ community. (2015, March 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:24, March 6, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Libraries_and_the_LGBTQ_community&oldid=649901493

Library Bill of Rights. (1997-2014). Retrieved from American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill