Building a High School Library Program That Meets the Needs of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, or Questioning Students: Part 2 – Reseach Literature

PLEASE NOTE: For a much expanded and updated version of this information, please go to Becoming and Being: Reflections on Teacher-Librarianship, pages 192-205.

This is Part Two in a series of three posts on this topic. Part One looks at the professional literature; Part Three is a full literature review.

Research Question

How can a high school teacher-librarian ensure that the library is a student-centred safe haven that meets the needs of GLBTQ students?

Introduction

I am a 60 year old retired teacher-librarian, married, a mother of one and grandmother of one with another on the way. Everywhere I go I see myself reflected back. There are retired teachers’ association lunches, senior shopping discounts, loving (and stylish) grandmothers in television shows and movies. I can walk into any library and immediately find detective books about librarians who solve crimes, picture books for toddlers, and information about osteoporosis. I have spent my whole life going to the library, confident that supportive, knowledgeable, compassionate staff would help me find what I needed when I needed it.

Think for a moment about the GLBTQ youth in your school. What do they see when they look into society’s mirror? What do they see when they walk into your school library? Can they be confident they will get the support they need, and the resources that reflect them in a positive light?

If you aren’t sure about the answers to these questions, there are resources in the research literature available to help you make changes. Much research has been done not only on homophobic bullying, and harassment, but on the challenges GLBTQ youth face in finding resources and supportive, knowledgeable adults in libraries. In addition, you can learn more about the specific information needs of these students, as well as the services that best support meeting those needs. As well, there is help available in terms of acquiring appropriate resources, and to help you evaluate your GLBTQ collection and programming. If, like most teacher-librarians, you need help in meeting the challenges of advocating for your GLBTQ students, you will find many useful suggestions and strategies in the research literature. By building on the research, we can ensure all our students see themselves as safe, supported, and very visible in our school libraries.

Themes

Understand the Challenges GLBTQ Youth Face at School and in the Library

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Curry, A. (2005). If I ask, will they answer? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 65-75.

Hoheb, M. L. (1999). Missing mirrors: Literacy experiences of adolescent lesbians. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text. (AAT 9952918)

Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Diaz, E. M., &. Bartkiewicz, M. J. (2009). The 2009 national school climate survey.

Taylor, C., Peter, T., Schachter, K., Paquin, S., Beldom, S., Gross, Z., & McMinn, T. (2009, March). Youth speak up about homophobia and transphobia: The first national climate survey on homophobia in Canadian schools phase one report.

Learn What Information GLBTQ Teens Need

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Hoheb, M. L. (1999). Missing mirrors: Literacy experiences of adolescent lesbians. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text. (AAT 9952918)

Linville, D. (2004). Beyond picket fences: What gay/queer/LGBTQ teens want from the library. Voice of Youth Advocates, 27(3), 183-186.

Mehra, B., & Braquet, D. (2006). A “queer” manifesto of interventions for libraries to “come out” of the closet! A study of “queer” youth experiences during the coming out process. LIBRES: Library & Information Science Research Electronic Journal, 16(1), 7-7.

Rothbauer, P. (2004). “People aren’t afraid anymore, but it’s hard to find books”: Reading practices that inform the personal and social identities of self-identified lesbian and queer young women. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 28(3), 53-74.

Rothbauer, P. (2004). The internet in the reading accounts of lesbian and queer young women: Failed searches and unsanctioned reading. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 28(4), 89-110. Retrieved from http://www.utpjournals.com/cjils/cjils.html 

Provide Library Services Appropriate for GLBTQ Teens

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Curry, A. (2005). If I ask, will they answer? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 65-75.

Johnson, M. (2010). Transgender subject access: History and current practice. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 48(8), 661-683. doi:10.1080/01639370903534398

Linville, D. (2004). Beyond picket fences: What gay/queer/LGBTQ teens want from the library. Voice of Youth Advocates, 27(3), 183-186.

Mathson, S., & Hancks, J. (2006). Privacy please? A comparison between self-checkout and book checkout desk circulation rates for LGBT and other books. Journal of Access Services, 4(3), 27-37. doi:10.1300/J204v04n03_02

McClary, C., & Howard, V. (2007). From “homosexuality” to “transvestites”: An analysis of subject headings assigned to works of GLBT fiction in Canadian public libraries. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 31(2), 149-162. Retrieved from http://www.utpjournals.com/cjils/cjils.html

Mehra, B., & Braquet, D. (2006). A “queer” manifesto of interventions for libraries to “come out” of the closet! A study of “queer” youth experiences during the coming out process. LIBRES: Library & Information Science Research Electronic Journal, 16(1), 7-7.

Rothbauer, P. (2004). “People aren’t afraid anymore, but it’s hard to find books”: Reading practices that inform the personal and social identities of self-identified lesbian and queer young women. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 28(3), 53-74.

Rothbauer, P. (2004). The internet in the reading accounts of lesbian and queer young women: Failed searches and unsanctioned reading. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 28(4), 89-110. Retrieved from http://www.utpjournals.com/cjils/cjils.html 

Overcome Collection Development Challenges

Alexander, L. B., & Miselis, S. D. (2007). Barriers to GLBTQ collection development and strategies for overcoming them. Young Adult Library Services, 5(3), 43-49.

Boon, M, H., & Howard V. (2004). Recent lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender fiction for teens: Are Canadian public libraries providing adequate collections? Collection Building (23)3: 133-8.

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Cook, J. C. (2004). GLBTQ teen literature: Is it out there in Indiana? Indiana Libraries, 23(2), 25-28.

Rothbauer, P. M., & Lynne E.F. McKechnie. (2000). The treatment of gay and lesbian fiction for young adults in selected prominent reviewing media. Collection Building, 19(1), 5-16.


 

Evaluate Your GLBTQ Collection

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/‌2160/‌5714

Cook, J. C. (2004). GLBTQ teen literature: Is it out there in Indiana? Indiana Libraries, 23(2), 25-28.

Boon, M. H. & Howard, V. (2004). Recent lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender fiction for teens: Are Canadian public libraries providing adequate collections? Collection Building, 23(3), 133-138.

Moss, E. (2008). An inductive evaluation of a public library GLBT collection. Collection Building, 27(4), 149-156. doi:10.1108/01604950810913715

Advocate for GLBTQ Youth

Alexander, L. B., & Miselis, S. D. (2007). Barriers to GLBTQ collection development and strategies for overcoming them. Young Adult Library Services, 5(3), 43-49.

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Curry, A. (2005). If I ask, will they answer? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 65-75.

Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Diaz, E. M., &. Bartkiewicz, M. J. (2009). The 2009 national school climate survey.

Mehra, B., & Braquet, D. (2006). A “queer” manifesto of interventions for libraries to “come out” of the closet! A study of “queer” youth experiences during the coming out process. LIBRES: Library & Information Science Research Electronic Journal, 16(1), 7-7.

Taylor, C., Peter, T., Schachter, K., Paquin, S., Beldom, S., Gross, Z., & McMinn, T. (2009, March). Youth speak up about homophobia and transphobia: The first national climate survey on homophobia in Canadian schools phase one report.

Recommended Articles

Alexander, L. B., & Miselis, S. D. (2007). Barriers to GLBTQ collection development and strategies for overcoming them. Young Adult Library Services, 5(3), 43-49.

Linda Alexander, a University of South Florida School of Librarian and Information Science professor, and Sarah Miselis, a recent MLS graduate of the school, present a succinct summary of their research on why the information needs of GLBTQ teens are not being met.  They surveyed school and public librarians across the USA about their GLBTQ collections and programs, and about challenges to GLBTQ resources for young adults.  The authors found that GLBTQ resources are underrepresented in library collections, that societal and personal prejudice against homosexuality influence library policies and collections, and that internet filtering software often prevents students from accessing GLBTQ information.  The authors provide specific suggestions as to how librarians can improve their collections and build strong programs to provide equal opportunities for GLBTQ teens.

Bridge, S. (2010). No place on the shelves? Are Northern Ireland’s school libraries addressing the information needs of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students? (Master’s thesis, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, United Kingdom).

Bridge’s thesis includes an extensive, thorough literature review looking at the specific information needs of LGBT students, and the barriers preventing them from getting this information.  She interviewed two groups: LGBT individuals aged 16-25, and school librarians, and her findings supported those she found in the literature.  In Irish schools homophobic abuse is widespread, teachers receive no training in LGBT issues, religious beliefs discourage both LGBT programming and the purchase of resources, and internet filtering and lack of privacy on school computers prevent access to information.  Bridges concludes that while librarians can institute simple changes to make their libraries friendlier, the urgent need is government support for changes in school policies on LGBT issues.

Curry, A. (2005). If I ask, will they answer? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 65-75.

Curry’s survey of reference service to a young woman asking for GLBT resources, although dealing with public libraries, allows teacher librarians to examine what their behaviour would be in similar circumstances.  Curry reviews the literature that supports the historical importance of the library in helping GLBT youth deal with the issues of their sexual orientation, including coming out, the desire to read fiction with positive role models, and isolation and fear of homophobic abuse.  She emphasizes that searching for GLBT information means taking a risk, and caring and competent librarians help the information seeker feel safe.  Curry’s analysis of the 20 reference desk sessions provides specific suggestions on how to, and how not to, conduct such reference interviews.

Hoheb, M. L. (1999). Missing mirrors: Literacy experiences of adolescent lesbians. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text. (AAT 9952918)

Although this document is more than ten years old, it provides invaluable information about the importance of reading to help lesbian (and, by extension, GBTQ youth) make meaning of their lives, as well as accounts of the study participants’ struggles to find the texts they needed, none of which they could get from their school libraries.  A section describing the failure of their high schools to keep them safe from homophobic abuse and neglect is particularly heart-rending.  Hoheb includes detailed descriptions of the type of resources, both fiction and non-fiction, that the women would have liked to have had available to them in high school.

Mehra, B., & Braquet, D. (2006). A “queer” manifesto of interventions for libraries to “come out” of the closet! A study of “queer” youth experiences during the coming out process. LIBRES: Library & Information Science Research Electronic Journal, 16(1), 7-7.

Mehra and Braquet, assistant professors from the University of Tennessee, envision libraries as agents of change that can help make society more inclusive and accepting of diverse sexual orientations. To achieve this they suggest libraries be supportive of “queer” youth during the coming out process, a difficult time when youth require information, empathy, and support.  The researchers interviewed in depth 21 “queer” individuals about the challenges that faced them during their coming our phase, and what they felt librarians could do to better support youth during this phase of their lives. This information alone provides many ideas to how school libraries can improve collections and services for GLBTQ youth, and the authors conclude with their own list of specific strategies.

Taylor, C., Peter, T., Schachter, K., Paquin, S., Beldom, S., Gross, Z., & McMinn, T. (2009, March). Youth speak up about homophobia and transphobia: The first national climate survey on homophobia in Canadian schools phase one report.

This report details the results of a survey of 1700 high school students across Canada, and contains information that should be shared with all high school teachers.  Homophobic harassment, including verbal and some physical abuse, is prevalent in Canadian high schools: 75% of GLBTQ students felt unsafe in some areas of their school (including the school library for some), and heard homophobic comments every day.  Many students felt that their teachers were ineffective in stopping the harassment.  In those schools with anti-homophobic programs, GLBTQ students felt safer and experienced less abuse than those attending schools without these programs, but more direct action needs to be taken at the district and provincial level.