Serving the GLBTQ community: Does your library?

The American Library Association supports the inclusion in library collections of materials that reflect the diversity of our society, including those related to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. ALA encourages all American Library Association chapters to take active stands against all legislative or other government attempts to proscribe materials related to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression; and encourages all libraries to acquire and make available materials representative of all the people in our society

American Library Association, Bill of Rights

Being a teenager is a tumultuous time and unfortunately, there is no single book that will prepare someone for the journey into adulthood. Rather, people survive the journey, highlighted by routine forays into the library, looking for solace, self-help, something that echoes a mood, or a book that reflects ones place in society. Now, imagine being a gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered, or questioning (GLBTQ) teenager, walking into a library, and looking for some book you hope will make you feel less alone. Will they find anything that is specifically for GLBTQ young adults in your library? And will you help them find something, without judgement?

For patrons to see themselves reflected in the world of knowledge within a library’s four walls is perhaps that institution’s greatest challenge- combining visibility with equity, laced with physical and intellectual convenience, and leavened with staff approachability and acceptance. (Greenblatt, 2011)

Libraries play an important role in the community, often times acting as the central social and information hub for all patrons of the community. It is in this way that librarians play a role in fostering tolerance: by providing materials to patrons, regardless of race, color, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. We are now charged with improving access for and about marginalized members of our society, in this case the GLBTQ community.

According to the ALA website, Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender peoples’ access to libraries may be limited or prohibited by many issues, including:

• Collections which do not present GLBT content or perspectives. GLBT materials can often be censored under partisan or doctrinal disapproval

• Environments which are not welcoming or inclusive of GLBT people and which, through actions by staff or other patrons, may be made unwelcome to GLBT people and their families

• Programs which do not address the GLBT experience

• Services which are not promoted to GLBT populations or in collaborations with local GLBT organizations

Books published for young adults are not GLBTQ friendly by default, so its important for libraries to offer a well rounded collection. In recent years, since the publication of Cart and Jenkins’ The Heart Has Its Reasons (2006), and Martin and Murdock’s Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians (2007), libraries have the resources to maintain a collection of YA material with positive portrayals. Both publications offer annotated bibliographies of LGBTQ YA literature. As in the case of all young adult material, it is important for libraries to offer literature with positive role models, supportive messages, and content free from judgement. (Manfredi, 2008)

That fact that selectors feel unable or unqualified to purchase GLBTQ material should not preclude a library from having a balanced collection. The rationale that allows the selector to order a science book, despite the fact that they are not a scientist, also applies. Background knowledge and self-identity are not required for collection development. Collection development for GLBTQ material is no different than selecting for any other group of users.

Advocating and integrating new material is as simple as creating a display, either introducing it with other new material, or limiting it to a GLBTQ display. Most libraries display some sort of Subject of the Month collection, which allows librarians to highlight an important theme for a month. It would be relatively easy for libraries to incorporate LGBT History Month or Gay Pride Month into the rotation, which are observed during the months of October and June, respectively. This would be an effective way to accentuate the history of the movement, in addition to featuring new material.

To encourage and reinforce diversity pertaining to sexual orientation within libraries, the American Library Association has established The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. They are charged with serving the information needs of the GLBT professional library community, and the GLBT information and access needs of individuals at large. As an organization, they sponsor programs, book awards, and scholarships, and promote awareness for other organizations that support diversity. Programming resources are available on line through the American Library Association Programming Librarian website: The Programming Librarian The Programming Librarian is an ALA funded resource that offers a plethora of ideas on library programming. And finally, book clubs, reading groups, and discussion groups are always good ideas to get people interested and involved.

Libraries have come a long way in the access of information pertaining to sexual orientation. Many libraries offer programming specifically for GLBTQ patrons, and if they don’t, they should be open to the suggestion; Censorship and Open and Equal Access to Information are the new battle cries for librarians, the buzz words that prompt action.  As a population often subject to discrimination and harassment, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people can benefit from the access to information which libraries provide. (American Library Association, 2011)

Bibliography
American Library Association. (2011). Retrieved November 19, 2011, from Outreach Resources for Services to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered People: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/servicesgay.cfm
ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services. (2011). Retrieved November 19, 2011, from American LIbrary Association: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/index.cfm
Cart, M., & Jenkins, C. (2006). The heart has its reasons: Young adult literature with gay/lesbian/queer content, 1969-2004
Greenblatt, E. b. (2011). Essays on Outreach, Service, Collections and Access. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.
Manfredi, A. (2008). Accept the Universal Freak Show: LGBTQ Themes in Contemporary YA Literature and Incorporating Them @ your library (Angie Manfredi). American Library Association: Young Adult Library Services Association.

Martin, H. J., & Murdock, J. R. (2007). Serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians