Comments on: Out of the Library and Into the Wild

By: Exercise 2: The First Ever iheartrains Library Blog Awards | iheartrains

Exercise 2: The First Ever iheartrains Library Blog Awards | iheartrains — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 05:45:49 +0000

[...] quite a few differences in the blogs I was asked to follow. The winner for longest posts goes to In the Library with the Lead Pipe. This blog reads more like a scholarly journal. There are multiple authors who write for the blog, [...]

By: Ismoon Maria Hunter-Morton

Ismoon Maria Hunter-Morton — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:38:16 +0000

Hi Jean. Well, Q Center’s Kendall Clawson library is private in that it is owned by a community center that serves queer people and our allies. I would love to have a direct connection to (and direct funding from) the local public library! I’m a public librarian, I work for Multnomah County Library on-call, and several of my volunteers have been local library students and public library workers. MCL provides public excellent access to LGBTQ databases, fiction, and even expensive queer scholarly publications, free with your library card.

The problem is that public libraries do not keep a comprehensive run of published materials by/for/about queer people that goes back to the Stonewall Riots and before, but community members do. And, if a book is no longer being read or is no longer current, it may be weeded. Patrons seeking information on LGBTQ topics can feel intimidated to ask random library staff about sex, sexuality, and gender identity. Also, queer community libraries and archives would like to be the owner of our own materials in case of political/cultural changes at the administrative levels of government and private organizations. After all, telling personal stories, publishing them, and then preserving them for the future is a matter of trust.

I would love to continue this conversation about connecting community and public libraries: ismoon.maria@gmail.com. Thanks!

Ismoon Maria Hunter-Morton, MA, MLIS
Portland, Oregon

By: Librarian Activisim = Awesome « Acorn Electric

Librarian Activisim = Awesome « Acorn Electric — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:32:11 +0000

[...] In the Library with a Lead Pipe recently posted a great piece on the benefits of offering up librarian skillz to communities and organizations who need it. Please check it out, it is truly inspiring. The librarian I work with at the Q Center and I talk a little about our experience, too! Share this:ShareLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]

By: Lana

Lana — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:35:29 +0000

Thanks for your comments, Jean. I can’t speak for the Q Center, but in my experience helping Bitch create their community lending library, Bitch had the idea to create a lending library as a way to tangibly give back to the community, and strengthen conversations and connections. Since they are best known for producing Bitch magazine, they had already collected a large and unique collection of books related to feminism, pop culture, and other topics covered in their publication. Thus, they already had the materials to create a library, and were continuing to receive more from publishers for reviewing and reference. We (Rad Ref volunteers) stepped in with expertise on how to take this collection of books being used internally by staff and volunteers and share it with the larger community. Portland has an amazing public library system (Multnomah County Library), and Bitch’s intent isn’t to pull users away from public libraries, but rather to showcase and make available their unique collection, and give back to the community. I don’t think donating their materials to the public library would have achieved a similar outcome.

However, I don’t think it’s too late to connect with the public library. I think it would be beneficial for both parties if Multnomah County Library partners with local, small, special collections in the area (perhaps they already are?). It would also help to raise awareness of the materials available in these small libraries like Bitch and the Q Center, and raise awareness about the awesome organizations that have these libraries.

By: Lana

Lana — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:46:26 +0000

Thanks for sharing, RCN. I love this example of sharing librarian skills and am happy to hear you’re helping kitties in the process. Happy retirement!

By: rcn

rcn — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:32:41 +0000

Your post is quite timely for me, a recently retired (June 2011) public reference librarian who last month checked out Volunteer Match and found a better-than-hoped-for match for me! Just yesterday I learned how I’ll assist the regional Cat Resource Center, which is basically an I&R organization for all things cats. From the comfort of my home, I’ll field and respond to email and phone inquiries about feral and domesticated cats. Perhaps I can help with the design of the site, as well as the interface for volunteers (including a knowledge base). And maybe I can let local librarians know about this helpful online resource. I’m thrilled by this opportunity!

By: Jean Costello

Jean Costello — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:52:30 +0000

Hi Lana – thanks for the specific examples of the professional services librarians have offered to their communities. I’m intrigued about the private lending libraries — specifically why the organizations felt the need to create their own libraries instead of using their public library — and whether the librarians tried facilitating dialogue between the org and the local library about providing access to the materials they find valuable.

I can see the potential there for some really great discussions that would help strengthen the public libraries and potentially open up an array of services to the organization that they may have been unaware of. For example, perhaps the org didn’t use their public library because their subject matter is under-represented in the collection. Another may be the need for a high level of discretion in order to feel ‘safe’ accessing the materials. In both cases, the public library would benefit from hearing from non-users about how to meet their needs. And, once members of the organization began using their libraries more, they might find people (library staff or patrons) with computer skills or equipment that would be useful to them. They might also find unexpected allies, in other community organizations, local businesses & interest groups, etc who also use the public library.