Note From Debbie

Each June, Pride Month is a time for the LGBTQ+ community to honor their identity, uniqueness, and diversity. For countless years, libraries throughout the state and nation have brought focus to this national celebration. This year is no exception. 

But this year, public library displays celebrating Pride Month seem to be getting a lot of negative attention. Displays are part of a library’s marketing plan and they highlight a very small portion of the extensive collection that might go undiscovered. A display is a wonderful way to help readers young and old find and connect to topics, books, and materials they find personally relevant to themselves or loved ones. And displays during Pride Month are not set up to politicize one lifestyle over another - the library is simply displaying age-appropriate materials that are related to the LGBTQ+ experience. 

Of utmost importance to any public library is curating collections that allow every citizen to see themselves and the world around them in the diversity of books and resources their library provides for all ages, all abilities, all interests, all races, all nationalities, all religions, the rich, the poor, the traditional and nontraditional families, those who identify as LGBTQ+ and those that don’t. This is a core tenant of librarianship – to provide for the interests of all, and to do so without bias. For countless individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and who face bullying, isolation, and depression, access to LGBTQ+ representation and information in books from the library offers them a safe haven and in some cases is lifesaving. It is critically important that everyone has access to books where they can see themselves, validate their existence and experiences and reinforce their self-worth. Many of us cannot begin to imagine how important that might be for a teen who identifies as LGBTQ+ but has yet to find the voice they need to tell their story.

2023 MLA Equity Fund Grants

The 2023 MLA Equity Fund Grant application is open through June 2, 2023. Equity Fund Grants aim to reduce financial barriers to professional development opportunities, support individuals currently underrepresented in the library profession, and uplift the professional development of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, North African, and Middle Eastern individuals. Funds provide resources to be used for memberships, attendance at workshops, educational events, or conferences of the applicants’ choosing, or for other purposes that applicants believe increase their ability to impact and transform the library profession.