The case of LLACE

Rivera, Destiny

Wakimoto, D. K., Hansen, D. L., & Bruce, C. (2013). The case of LLACE: Challenge, triumphs, and lessons of a community archives. The American Archivist, 76(2), 438-457.

This article gives us a little history on the Lavender Library, Archives, and Cultural Exchange (LLACE), a people’s library with LGBT items located in Sacramento, California. This library has withstood resistance and condemnation but affirms its mission to serve this community and anyone interested. They have presentations, crafternoons, film screenings and more!  LLACE is a setting in which contents that serve historically marginalized communities can be curated and preserved by and for the people. LLACE “affirms its commitment to document communities neglected by institutional archives and libraries”. Developing institutional spaces for marginalized communities is one way in which libraries serve the community. LLACE represents a Special Collections and is a highly recommended read for developing a collection that embodies the diversity of the community.

Advocating and Integrating: LGBTQ lit in school libraries up to par?

Hughes-Hassell, S., Overberg, E., & Harris, S. (2013). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ)-Themed Literature for Teens: Are School Libraries Providing Adequate Collections?. School Library Research, 161-18.

In their study of 125 high schools throughout the southeastern United States, Hassel, Overberg and Harris came to a few important, and perhaps surprising conclusions regarding materials for and by LGBTQ community members.

#1     While it is probably no surprise that the high schools studied were generally undercollecting LGBTQ-themed materials, many libraries failed to properly tag or catalog their LGBTQ themed titles so they were nearly impossible to find through the catalog.

#2      LGBTQ Biographies were found to be especially lacking in high school collections.  While identifying with fictional characters can be self-affirming, reading about individuals who have braved and survived a homophobic world can be incredibly empowering to queer students.  Let's step it up!

#3      School libraries are called to uphold curriculum and support state standards.  As it stands, nearly all states have adopted comprehensive reproductive health curriculum that includes LGBTQ health-related issues, yet most of the high schools in the study had none or very few materials related to LGBTQ health issues.  For this reason alone school libraries have a responsibility to provide health and sexuality information.  Reproductive health, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are topics that fall within any high school health course.  We can do better and we are obliged to.

J. Hasselberger
Spring 2016

Barriers to Selecting Materials about Sexual and Gender Diversity

Nicole J. Hoback

Reference:

Greenblatt, E. (2010). Serving LGBTIQ library and archives users: Essays on

            outreach, service, collections and access. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &

            Company.

Summary:

In chapter four, "Barriers to Selecting Materials about Sexual and Gender Diversity," Greenblatt (2010) addresses the varying issues surrounding libraries when selecting materials for the LGBTIQ community. The issues and biases surrounding this community are discussed and how this can affect the selection process for resources. While Greenblatt discusses the issues, she also addresses the solutions, encouraging a change for library collection processes in order to serve all community members. According to Greenblatt, library selectors are just as likely to buy into stereotypes as anyone else. Continuing with the fact that libraries are a safe place for many within every community, library selectors should be the advocate for this community when selecting material, not allowing stereotypes or bias opinions of others to deflect the selection process. Many libraries rely on the Internet resources and interlibrary loan to provide resources to the LGBTIQ community and this is just not practical, Greenblatt states, arguing that the Internet is not always a reliable source and interlibrary loan cannot always be reliable or practical.

Evaluation:

I enjoyed reading Greenblatt’s analysis on changing the methods in which library employees provide for the LGBTIQ community. I particularly enjoyed how Greenblatt not only addressed the issues in collection development, but also the solutions to the issues and how to provide for minority groups in a modern age. Greenblatt stated an important point in this chapter when discussing that patrons who identify in the LGBTIQ community are not the only ones who would benefit from resources in the library, their friends and family would benefit as well if they are eager to learn more or have questions. Establishing a reliable source collection for any library will allows patrons of the LGBTIQ community to trust the library and gain reliable information.