Diverse Books (Prompt Response)

LGBTQ

Labeling LGBTQ books would certainly make the materials more visible in the collection. This would help staff and patrons alike find books. In theory, this would increase their circulation and help show the community that the library is a safe space that supports LGBTQ rights. In theory, this is the key phrase. 

The reality is that labeling LGBTQ books may also have the effect of deterring patrons from checking these materials out if they are uncomfortable being seen with LGBTQ books. This is particularly true for younger patrons who may be unsure while exploring issues of gender, sexuality, and identity, to use the phrase from the Laurel Taruli article. 

The Daring Librarian points out that young readers who are curious or who may not be out to their peers and parents shy away from books if they are sectioned off or visibly labeled. She also makes the point that this category spans genres and resists relegating it to this label. Amanda Willik's statements in the article Respecting Anonymity Through Collection Development, concur with the idea that labeling for LGBTQ may inadvertently "out" individuals. 

In this political climate, there have been calls for creating separate sections for LGBTQ materials, especially for children and young adults, such as in a town in Oregon. The article points out that this move is "basically stigmatizing the collection." I agree that in our current times, labeling and separating this collection would have this effect. 

While it may make it harder for library staff to point out these materials more discreetly, it is our job to put in the extra effort. This can be done by highlighting booklists that point readers in that direction or including tagging in an online catalog in a discreet fashion. Catalog lookups and discovering titles from a list provide more privacy because it is not visible on the book.

Additionally, the labeling could deter some types of readers from picking up one of these books because they assume they won't relate to the characters. If they discover the book on their own and read it without the preconceived idea that it is strictly LGBTQ it may help them gain an understanding of the lives of LGBTQ people.

African American Authors

My library system has labels for African American books and has these books in their own genre. I initially felt that this would make readers feel these books are segregated negatively. I have since learned over the years that many patrons seek out books written by African American authors, whether street lit or otherwise because they are able to see themselves in the books by these authors in a way that they do not in books by white authors. The Financial Times article from this week's readings says as much.

I do however feel that these books should still be interfiled with the overall genre of the work, rather than solely by the race of the author. Separating the materials in their own section may mean the work is out of sight, out of mind for readers who are not African American, and assume that they would not find a book in the African American section that would interest them. They may think it is all street lit, because that is the dominant genre in the section, and would miss an opportunity to read about the characters and experiences of African Americans and find their work relatable or eye-opening. Nic Stone's article points out how important reading about black people's lives, not just racism, is in fighting racism in this week's reading.