Week 14 Prompt

Separating certain types of fiction out from the main collection is a bad idea.  Setting up regular displays of different types of books like street lit, LGBTQ or African American is a great way to promote lesser known authors and genres.  Permanently separating them isolates them as not a part of mainstream fiction, which of course, they are.  They should be there in the stacks with everything else, discoverable by all who are browsing. 

Where LGBTQ fiction is concerned, a prominent section with such material is not viable.  “It is important to note that LGBTQ and gender variant youth are not choosing public libraries because they feel the most comfortable in these spaces; they are forced to patronize public libraries because of a total lack of support from other social groups and services” (Robinson, 163).  If they are not able to privately browse for relevant material or feel comfortable getting help finding the materials, they’ll be less likely to check out information and reading that may change or improve their lives.  If you’re a closeted youth, desperate to find reading that helps you figure out your journey or you really want to read a story about someone like yourself, would you be caught dead perusing the big LGTBQ display?  Of course not!  There are other ways to help these people. “Offering printed booklists with recommended LGBTQ related titles is a guaranteed way of making patrons aware of such materials 365 days a year” (Ritchie, 62).  The article about the Iowa library patrons wanting to separate the LGTBQ books so that they won’t accidentally burn their righteous eyes on scandalous filth, made me seethe with fury.  I fail to understand why they insist on trying to subvert everyone else’s rights by screaming about their own religious rights – their rights not to see anything they don’t believe in!  Just, no. 

As far as African American authors, why separate them permanently?  It is definitely imperative to regularly promote African American authors with displays and book lists, but these authors are equal to white authors!  Ralph Ellison, anyone?  Alice Walker?  Classic, amazing  works!  They belong in the stacks along with Herman Melville and  Leo Tolstoy.  I really like the webpage for the Cincinnati Public Library listing African American authors.  This is a great way to single these works out…without separating them out!

Ritchie, C., & McNeill, D. ( 2011) . LGBTIQ issues in public libraries.  Serving LGBTIQ Library and Archives Users, ed. E. Greenblatt, 59–80. Jefferson, NC and London, England: McFarland & Company Inc.

Robinson, T. (2016 ).  Overcoming social exclusion in public library services to LGBTQ and gender variant youth.  Public Library Quarterly, 35(3), 161-174.