malindalo:

The Top 10 titles on the American Library Association’s 2013 Rainbow List, recognizing GLBT books for children and teens.

(Including my own Adaptation! Yay!)

(ETA: And The Letter Q, which I and many other writers are in!)

Yes! We here at LJ particularly loved The Song of Achilles.

hclib:

Gay Vue Magazine, 1971-1972

Gay Vue was one of the earliest LGBT publications in Minneapolis.  Jack Baker was on the board of directors. Sherrie Buffington was co-editor.

You can find Gay Vue and these other early LGBT publications (So’s Your Old Lady, Equal Time, GLC Voice) in the Special Collections Minneapolis periodicals collection. We also have an index to GLC Voice at Special Collections.

The images above are from Volume I, number 2 of Gay Vue, 21 August, 1971.

If you would like to see more early LGBT periodicals and Pride materials, please check out our display in the atrium of Minneapolis Central Library.

This is so cool.

Good Lesbian Books: GBLTQ Stuff and Libraries: Brainstorming! →

goodlesbianbooks:

We’re interested in writing something about GLBTQ services in libraries, due to a request from Queer for Books. Still not sure what, but as both of us work in libraries (academic and public), we should be able to come with with something interesting, and it’s certainly a topic near to our hearts and minds.

But I figured, why not ask all you creepy stalkers lovely followers; this is the sort of topic where a wide range of responses from users and librarians is needed.

Is there one thing you can think of that REALLY bugs you? What would YOU like to see happen more in your school/public/university library? What would you like us to talk about? Do you have any answers? (We’re hoping for at least 42 responses on this).

When you head to the library, does it feel like a place that’s safe to look for GLBTQ books? Would you consider it a safe space to be ‘out’ in? Would you feel uneasy checking the books out? Can you use a self check machine?

Can you find them easily, or do you need to already know the titles?

Do they even have many books, and are they any good, or outdated?

Could the collection be improved? Are they all specific types of books? (e.g. nonfiction only, young adult with gay male characters).

Do they ever have book displays, and are they any good?

Do they promote any of the Banned Book or GLBTQ related dates?

Do they ever include GLBTQ books in their normal book displays?

Do you feel they need to actively promote GLBTQ books? 

Does it depend on the type of library?

Do you know of any good reader’s advisory resources?

What would you improve with unlimited POWER and money?

What would you prioritise?

How many GLBTQ books have you managed to a) find through and b) borrow from your library?

Self-censorship. It’s a dirty secret that no one in the profession wants to talk about or admit practicing. Yet everyone knows some librarians bypass good books—those with literary merit or that fill a need in their collections. The reasons range from a book’s sexual content and gay themes to its language and violence—and it happens in more public and K–12 libraries than you think.

— From the 2009 School Library Journal article “Self-censorship is rampant and lethal.”