Baby, I Was Born This Way! How Local Teens Helped a Library Deliver an LGBTQ Collection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5399/osu/1093-7374.25.04.09Keywords:
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While the organization We Need Diverse Books has increased the number of high-quality LGBTQ books being published by mainstream publishers, it hasn’t gotten easier for teens to find them on library shelves. They often don’t know the books exist and aren’t comfortable asking for assistance from library staff. In order to bridge this gap, librarians working with teens need to be more proactive in designing collections and spaces that improve access to LGBTQ resources.
In this article, we outline how Oregon City Public Library worked with a local group of LGBTQ teens to develop a Teen LGBTQ collection. By sharing our experiences and the resources we utilized, we hope to provide other libraries with a process they can use to meet the unique needs of teens in their communities. While a dedicated LGBTQ collection was the best choice for us, something different might work better for you.
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