Library Request Activism : Purveyor of Pleasure by Scarlet Lotus

Library Request Activism

Posted on August - 30 - 2008

Inspired by a right-wing blog I read that was advocating for their readers to request “ex-gay” books for their local libraries I decided to post a reverse entry.

Your local library is about serving the community, they want to carry books and videos that their residents want.

They have a suggestion box or email form, why not go ahead and list some good queer political books, coming out resource guides, and queer history books to be added to the shelves?

In addition to requesting new books, make sure to take out the existing books on queer culture so that the libraries do not discontinue these books.

Many libraries have been forced to place LGBTQ books on high shelves due to community outcry, making it harder or virtually impossible for people to have access to them. Speak to the head librarian and demand that the books are visible and available for those who want them.

It seems like a wonderful idea to me, and I’ve checked the Salt Lake City Library for some authors and titles, and was pleasantly surprised at some of the things they have there, though not too surprised as SLC itself is pretty liberal and queer friendly. Best would be going to the library in one of the surrounding extremely conservative cities and doing this, and I’m placing it on my to do list.

I’ve had a somewhat sexless weekend despite it being our anniversary weekend, we just keep doing things other until we’re too tired to fuck. We did buy a fur flogger last night, which is “impact caressing” as Dominus dubbed it. I love it so much, plus it means I’ll get to flog him! I’m a fan. More later.

Organization: Queerness. Labels: bibliophilia, politics, queer.

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4 Responses

Nadia West (@nadiawest) says:

August 31, 2008 at 10:18

As a librarian I second this wholeheartedly – libraries are driven by their users and if their users request GLBT material then libraries will have to stock them. And yes, take out what’s already there as books that don’t circulate tend to get “weeded” i.e., removed from the shelves and discarded for lack of use.

Nadia West

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Scarlet Lotus St. Syr says:

September 1, 2008 at 09:04

@Nadia West: Fantastic, thank you! I’ll have to add checking out the queer books to my list of things to do… not that I wouldn’t do that anyway, but, er… now it’s on my activism list of things to do rather than regular! ;P

Scarlet Lotus St. Syr

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queerunity says:

September 6, 2008 at 17:50

thanks for reposting the tip, im glad you are acting on it. you’d be surprised at the interesting stuff one can find at the library.

queerunity

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