Library of the Month: LGBT Campus Center Resource Library

Our October Library of the Month is the LGBT Campus Center Resource Library. Previously located in Memorial Union, the LGBT Campus Center is now located on the first floor of the Red Gym, and is open to all students, faculty, and staff.

With a collection of nearly 500 volumes, the LGTB Resource Library has an incredibly unique selection of materials. Available items range from DVDs, research materials, graphic novels, memoirs, novels, poetry, and more. Thanks to a Grant from the Friends of the Library, the LGBT Resource Library has been able to purchase more than 60 new materials for its users in the last two years.  The collection today includes items that would be difficult to find in other places, such as recently gathered resources on intersectionality and emerging identities. The library typically consults ALA award winners, as well as Tumblr and blog lists, student recommendations, and other book lists for collection development.

The LGBT Resource Library is run by two full time staff members, Katherine and Gabe, and a third, Sheltreese, who splits her time between the LGBT Community Center and the Multicultural Student Center. There are also six undergraduate students, as well as one graduate student, who are involved in the planning and implementation of the LGBT Campus Center’s different programs.

The LGBT Campus Center provides an open study space, a conference room for quiet study and group projects, as well as computers (with free printing!). It hosts and sponsors a wide variety of programs throughout the year, including author lectures, discussions, training programs, and leadership opportunities. Events and programs are open to all interested individuals, and occasionally take place off campus.

A large number of the LGBT Campus Center’s fall events focus on speakers, performances, and social events, while spring events gear toward training and opportunities for members of the LGBTQ community, including its popular Leadership program, the Queer Emerging Leaders Program, and the Leadership Institute retreat. Additionally, they provide open LGBTQ Allyship and Gender Identity trainings, and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. Recently, the LGBT Center offered open trainings to all GLS staff.

The LGBT Campus Center is active on many social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and more recently Tumblr, and publishes a weekly newsletter.

Upcoming events (more details available on the LGBT Campus Center website):

• November: The month of November is Trans Visibility Month, they’ll be hosting “The Trans Monologues” at A Room of One’s Own and a Vigil for Remembrance.
• December: In December Harlan Pruden will be speaking as part of World AIDS Day, focusing on HIV in Native communities, specifically regarding two spirit people.

 ~ Written by Arielle Perry