LGBTQ books are still pretty much hidden away in local libraries. Out of this stack, only two are available. Considering how quickly newly published books make it into the library system, it seems almost deliberate that these books aren’t selected.
It’s not that they’re completely excluded but the push to get them into the hands of readers is weak. The chances of a book involving LGBTQ characters hitting the library shelves higher is if they’re not mentioned in the synopses. This catches librarians unaware. That is one of the reasons I’m glad for the online bookish communities: they raise awareness about underrepresented groups.
It’s through blogging that I’ve come to discover a greater diversity of voices. Before, I used to browse the books available on the library shelves, assuming that the selection was very extensive. Save for YA books involving LGBTQ, it is. However, considering the lacklustre inclusion together with greater censorship towards LGBTG themes, there’s still a long way to go.
You’ll never guess what my library JUST TWEETED. https://twitter.com/HillsboroLib/status/739928005347151872
Love them.
Super interesting post. I just quickly checked my local library’s website, and four of the books are there, as are Two Boys Kissing and Fat Angie, two other books that came quickly to mind. The library also offers a teen booklist of GLBQT titles that has 29 additional books on it not mentioned here. I wonder if it is different depending on where you are? My library system serves a large suburb of Portland, OR. I know that our middle school library has George (about a transgender 10 year old), Fat Angie, and Aristotle & Dante, because I got to help our librarian with the last round of ordering. *rubs hands and cackles gleefully* I agree that what is in our collections sends a really strong message to readers about who is and isn’t acceptable. There are so many layers to diversity; sometimes we focus on one and neglect to seek out voices in other areas.