Week 14 Response - To Separate or Not to Separate - Urban Fiction & LGBTQ
This is a difficult question to answer because as a patron, I personally like the idea of libraries creating their own specific genre sections for LGBTQ fiction and Urban Fiction, much like they already do with regular fiction, non-fiction, mystery, western, romance, and other titles. I feel that the materials might have a higher chance of circulating if they are more widely known and able to be seen.
My library’s
collection is shelved by genre, followed by author, and then call number. Urban
Fiction and LGBTQ fiction are lumped together with regular fiction; however,
only our Urban Fiction reads currently have their own spine labels. LGBTQ reads
do not have designated spine labels which I think is good because in a way, it
protects the privacy of the material and the subsequent reader checking them
out. The only time LGBTQ reads are really highlighted or put on display and
given attention within the library is during PRIDE month.
As a library staff member, however, I think separating each
genre from the general collection would do more harm than good. According to
the American Library Association’s Toolkit for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgender Round Table, “the job of librarians, whether serving adults,
teens, children, students, parents, or others, is to make libraries welcoming
and open to all” (n.d.).
1) Separating the titles from the general collection and creating their own sections may deter people from checking out said items due to privacy concerns. By separating the LGBTQ section specifically, it could cause discomfort for those wanting to browse the materials. They may not want to be seen going to that special section, may be afraid of being judged for their reading material selection, or they may have concerns about revealing something about themselves to the public that they aren’t ready to do. Or, vice versa, those who are not of the LGBTQ community and just enjoy the reading. Per the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights statement: “All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.”
2) Separating the genres could also be seen as an unwelcome political statement given the current nature of politics surrounding the subject of banned books. Patrons may feel as if their genre is being singled out and considered ‘unwanted’ and it may put the books at greater risk of being removed by separating them into their own collection and drawing more attention to them.
An example: According to an article on BookRiot, in 2018, a group of Orange City residents gathered to petition that the Orange City Library segregate their LGBTQ materials from the rest of the library’s collection, labeled, and given a ‘content rating service’ while also petitioning that the library stop acquiring said materials, according to Terry Chi, an assistant professor at Northwestern College and creator of the petition (Ellis, 2018). Thankfully the library declined to abide by Mr. Chi’s wishes and kept their LGBTQ materials scattered throughout the library’s general collection.
3) Taking these genres and separating them from
the rest of a library’s collection takes away some of the collection’s
diversity and representation. Per the ALA’s Freedom to Read policy
(2004), “it is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make
available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that
are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority” while also
stating that “it is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the
prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as
subversive or dangerous.”
Separating LGBTQ and Urban Fiction titles could also potentially call
into question a library’s Code of Ethics and if they are practicing censorship in
some manner. As I’ve stated before, libraries are about the only place where
individuals can come and be their true, whole selves, without judgment or fear
of being judged. Libraries, and books, are for everyone, regardless of their
age, sex, gender, etc.
References
American Library Assocation. (2019). Bill of rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
American Library Association. (2004). Freedom to read. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement
American Library Association. (n.d.) Toolkit from the American Library Association Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. https://www.ala.org/rt/sites/ala.org.rt/files/content/professionaltools/160309-glbtrt-open-to-all-toolkit-online.pdf
Ellis, D. (2018). Orange City calls for segregation of LGBTQ books,
because that’s not banning, right? BookRiot. https://bookriot.com/orange-city-calls-for-segregation-of-lgbtq-books/
I'm right there with you! The patron perspective and the staff member perspective are so different in this instance. I love that you pulled in references from the ALA to back up your statements, it really shows how it's just not a good idea to separate these books into their own sections. I absolutely agree with Point #2. In our current age of rampant book banning, it's not a good look to segregate books even if it would be easier for some patrons. It just makes it easier for politicians to remove the entire section.
ReplyDeleteHi Gabrielle,
ReplyDeleteI also came across an article about a community that petitioned to get their library to segregate LGBTQ books. In that instance they also wanted the library to present any new LGBTQ books that they were thinking about ordering for the community to ok before they were ordered. They claimed they just wanted more transparency in the process. My first thought was, wow, you clearly have no idea how book ordering or collection development works in a library. Also, it was so not about transparency. It was obviously about power. I also came across multiple articles about communities de-funding their public library because they wouldn't pull LGBTQ material. All in all, that was a pretty depressing Google search. :(
I really appreciate that you brought up the difference in views from a patron and a librarian perspective. I think you could also add a third perspective from the author’s point of view on where their work should be placed. I do think that as a patron, I like the books more separated than combined because I feel it’s easier to find what I want, but as a librarian separation feels almost like hiding some books away.
ReplyDeleteIt was really interesting to read your points, as many of my patrons like these sections to be separated. I really struggled to take a side with this debate, because I absolutely see how, through separating materials, these sections could potentially "out" someone or make other groups feel unwelcome.
ReplyDeletenice point about how it could be a sort of censorship to separate these materials. The LGBTQ book bannings have been getting bigger headlines lately, but I know there is also a list out there that is encouraging people to protest and censor kids books that celebrate blackness because they believe this promotes division. The last thing libraries want is to contribute to other these materials or patrons and making it seem like we want materials divided. I could see people taking this spin on it when the intention was opposite.
ReplyDeleteSo many great points - I also appreciate how you thought about this prompt from multiple perspectives. Full points!
ReplyDelete