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Analysis of the Moore Public Library’s LGBTQ Collection

Hailey Carrell

LIS 5173

Dr. Burke

18 July 2018
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For this assignment, I searched the Pioneer Library System catalog for items owned by

the Moore branch. The items I searched had all won awards from the American Library

Association’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table in either 2018 or 2017.

Though the Moore Public Library is part of a system, I only counted titles that the Moore branch

had in their collection. I did, however, note when digital copies of the titles were available,

because they are readily accessible to Moore’s customers.

I have worked at the Moore Public Library for just over two years and I was very

interested in learning more about our collection. For the most part, the Pioneer Library System

does well with providing diverse programming, but I wanted to really focus on the Moore branch

in particular. I chose to examine our collection for LGBTQ materials. I know that the Young

Adult collection has a great LGBTQ selection, but I was not sure of any of the other collections.

For this assignment, I used the Stonewall Book Awards from ALA’s GLBTRT from 2018

and 2017. The twenty books I chose from these lists represent literature, nonfiction, and

children’s and teen materials. Of the twenty books, seven were children’s or teen, seven were

literature, and six were nonfiction.

I searched the Pioneer Library System’s catalog for each item by title. If that did not yield

any results, I searched by author or ISBN. Some materials were not in the catalog at all. Of the

twenty books I searched, the Moore Library owned copies of nine of them. However, for every

item that was in the catalog, there was a copy owned by the Moore branch. I also noted when

downloadable ebooks or audiobooks were available. While these are not Moore specific items,

they are still readily available to Moore’s customers.

It was very clear where Moore’s collection is doing well and where it is lacking. There

were copies of all seven children’s and YA items I searched. However, there was only one of
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seven literature items and one of six nonfiction items. I was confident that Moore would do well

in the children’s and YA areas, but I was uncertain about the others. I was very disheartened,

especially about the lack of nonfiction. Even then, the one item found is not exactly what I had

searched. On the list, there was a 2016 book titled How to Survive a Plague: The inside story of

how citizens and science tamed AIDS by David France. This book was not found. However, there

was a copy of France’s documentary titled simply How to Survive a Plague from 2012. I counted

this DVD because it is by the author of the book and predates the book.

I am very proud of the number of LGBTQ items in Moore’s children’s and YA

collections. This is the time when individuals really start forming their own identities, and it is

very important that they see themselves in the books they read. I believe that Moore is doing

very well with these collections and should continue. However, I would suggest purchasing more

of the other items on these lists, especially the nonfiction. Some of these titles would be

beneficial to the LGBTQ audience, as well as other groups. I would highly recommend the books

Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity and Not straight, not white: black gay

men from the march on Washington to the AIDS crisis. These titles represent not only the

LGBTQ community, but the African American community as well. This demographic is wildly

underrepresented. There are books on the literature awards lists written by diverse authors as

well, which would be excellent additions to any library’s collection.

Overall, I am both proud and disappointed in my findings. I am proud that Moore has a

strong LGBTQ YA collection, but disappointed that is where it ends. This is definitely something

I would look into and start a conversation about within the library. The Stonewall Awards lists

from the GLBTRT would be a good starting point for new additions. Not only are these books
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representative of LGBTQ individuals, but many are written by diverse authors. These voices

deserve to be heard and I want to ensure that happens.

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Appendix A.

Meanwhile, Elsewhere: Science Fiction and No copies

Fantasy from Transgender Writers
Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and No copies
Community
The 57 Bus Four copies in Teen Sequoyah (original
location Adult Nonfiction) and ebook
Little & Lion One copy in Teen Fiction
Marriage of a Thousand Lies No copies
A Place Called No Homeland No copies
An Unkindness of Ghosts One copy in Adult Science Fiction, ebook, and
downloadable audiobook
When I Grow Up, I want to be a List of No copies
Further Possibilities
Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans No copies
Identity
The Black Penguin No copies

LGBTQ Stats: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, No copies

Transgender, and Queer People by the
Numbers
As the Crow Flies One copy in Teen Graphic Novel

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue One copy in Teen Fiction, ebook, and
downloadable audiobook
Desert Boys No copies

How to Survive a Plague: The inside story of No copies of the book, but one copy of the
how citizens and science tamed AIDS DVD in Adult Nonfiction
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The One copy in Teen Fiction, ebook, and
Hammer of Thor downloadable audiobook
If I Was Your Girl One copy in Teen Fiction

Beautiful gravity: a novel No copies

Not straight, not white: black gay men from the No copies
march on Washington to the AIDS crisis
When the Moon Was Ours One copy in Teen Fiction and ebook