Designed to provide practical information to library workers of all types, this book offers specific strategies for supporting trans people in their libraries.
As trans people (including those on the nonbinary spectrum) start to feel safer expressing their identities in public, libraries are making an effort to show that they welcome people of all gender identities. Yet there are many potential barriers to actively supporting trans people, including lack of knowledge about the needs of the trans community and lack of funding or institutional support. This book, written entirely by trans library workers, is designed to dismantle some of these barriers.
Supporting Trans People in Libraries is relevant for library workers of any background and position. People with little knowledge about trans identities can start with the opening introductory chapters, while those looking for guidance on a specific situation—such as adding all-gender restrooms, interacting respectfully with trans coworkers, deciding what information to require on library card applications, writing inclusive job postings, making collection development decisions, and more—can jump to a particular chapter. For each topic, there are sections on easy fixes, best practices, and example language. Readers can easily adapt the information to benefit their libraries and communities in concrete ways.
Features
- Provides introductory information on trans people, community needs, and preferred language
- Offers specific best practices for creating inclusive library environments for trans patrons and employees
- Includes resources and suggestions for long-term support of trans people in libraries
- Suggests inclusive language for various scenarios (e.g., sharing pronouns and writing job descriptions)
Stephen G. Krueger he/him or they/them) is the access and outreach services librarian at Randolph College. He holds an MSLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received the University Diversity Award and the LGBTIQ Advocacy Award. He writes and presents on how libraries and institutions can support trans patrons, students, and employees. Krueger was a 2018 American Library Association Emerging Leader. In 2017 he founded the Gender Variant LIS Network, a group for trans and gender-variant library workers and students. For more information, go to www.stephengkrueger.com.
Reviews
"Well worth reading for library staff at any level seeking to improve their gender-inclusive practices."—Library Journal, February 1, 2020
"With browsable sections, engaging and personal writing, and widely useful information, Supporting Trans People in Libraries is an ideal book for all library staff."—Booklist, February 7, 2020
"Supporting Trans People in Libraries is an extremely useful checklist to ferret out policies and procedures that may make your library unwelcoming to trans and gender-variant people, with recommendations about how to change those policies. This book is highly recommended for all public and academic libraries."—The Library Quarterly, October 1, 2020
"I can't wait for Krueger's guidance to be implemented throughout the library world. It's time for libraries to understand and go beyond Trans 101. This book leads the way deftly and kindly."—Jane Sandberg, Electronic Resources Librarian, Linn-Benton Community College
“I want to buy a copy of this book for every library director I know! It is a clear, inclusive, generous, and practical guide to supporting trans and gender variant people in our libraries. As a genderqueer butch lesbian, I was moved to tears by the reality of the personal and community experiences in this book; as a library director, I was moved to action by the clarity of the quick fixes and long-term solutions at the end of each chapter. This is a book that unapologetically calls for library leaders to see the many ways in which libraries passively and actively reject trans and gender variant people (patrons and staff alike), and to actively do the work to dismantle the gender binary and create more equitable libraries. This book also provides the tools for all of us to start making changes that will make our libraries safer and more welcoming for people of all genders. Despite our aspirations to be welcoming and inclusive spaces, library policies, practices, and cultures often erase and/or actively discriminate against people from marginalized groups—this is a book for those of us who want to do better, and who want libraries to be better.”—Chris Bourg, Director of Libraries, MIT
"This awesome book provides lots of essential background information and practical examples of how to best support transgender people (staff and patrons) in a library setting. Especially helpful are scripts for conversations that might be new to some people—gender pronouns, bathroom policies, handling complaints, and more. Krueger's book is an invaluable tool and belongs in the professional collection of every public library. It should also become a standard in library school curricula. Bottom line: I really love this book, and I can’t wait to share it with my staff."—Melissa Hisel, Director, Lafayette (CO) Public Library; City Liaison, Lafayette Human Rights Commission
