Coming Out as a Library Offering Support to the LGBTQ+ Community During Trying Times

Abstract

The Styberg Library has offered support to the LGBTQ+ community in a variety of ways. This work stemmed from larger seminary commitments and statements which served as an impetus for the work. As an institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church, we recognized how the current impasse in the denomination had affected our community. In response, we offered ourselves as a place of affirmation and support. First, we curated several displays to highlight relevant resources and services that may be of interest to the queer community. We also created an LGBTQ+ LibGuide to highlight library resources/services and online community resources. Then, we began the process of constructing an archive to document the history of the seminary’s LGBTQ+ community after realizing our archive lacked these documents. We continue to explore further ways to extend support. This poster highlighted various aspects of this work.