Week 14 Prompt Response

Although I understand the concerns of library staff about separating LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction and how this separation can feel exclusive to the patrons looking for it, I also believe in the importance of listening to patron input. According to Elizabeth L. Chapman, the decision to separate LGBTQ and Urban fiction is not clear-cut. I agree; I do not think the decision is as straightforward as librarians, library staff, and patrons might hope or believe because both options have advantages and disadvantages. Chapman identifies both positive and negative outcomes of choosing to separate LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction, stating that while “[a] separate collection facilitates use and sends a positive message about diversity” (Chapman, 2013, p. 547), “but materials may be more difficult to find” (Chapman, 2013, p. 547). Each statement contains some truth but said truths come with several caveats. One, each patron who walks into the library will respond differently to the location of the collections, whether the library chooses to interfile them or separate them from the other others, based on both internal factors, such as self-acceptance or the fear of ridicule or harm, and external factors, such as the political climate. The second caveat is that the methods through which staff draw patrons’ attention to the collection(s) influence how easy or difficult it is for patrons to locate said collections. I do not necessarily agree with the consensus that separating materials would make finding them more difficult unless the collection did not get labeled in such a manner that made its focus evident to patrons. Concerning collection placement, a balance must exist between creating a separate collection and physically separating the collection, that is, putting it in a location far from the others, thereby evoking a feeling of exclusion in patrons looking for or utilizing the collection. I also believe that the response to the library’s decision to separate or not separate LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction can also depend on whether a patron has come to the library for a particular book or author, compared to if they do find a read-alike, especially if the staff member conducting the reference interview is unfamiliar with that genre or subgenre, or if the patron wants to peruse the materials available to them that belong to the genre or subgenre they want to read. Separation of collections may draw more attention to that area, which could be problematic, evoking anxiety or avoidant behaviors (Jardine, 2013, p. 245); however, having that collection in a separate space can also be helpful by making it easier for patrons to find, rather than having to ask about the location of or look a book up on a catalog computer. Keeping these points in mind, my first reason for deciding to separate the LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction collections is that it simplifies the readers’ role; that is, they no longer must sort through other genres and subgenres to locate the book(s) for which they were looking; they have an entire collection dedicated to, arguably, their most important appeal factor. Second, having this dedicated collection may assist librarians in conducting a readers’ advisory interview because they need only direct patrons to one area in the library. Librarians can also utilize their knowledge of well-known or highly praised authors or titles, and authors and titles that may not appeal to the broader demographic, information that emerges via the creation and utilization of this specialized collection. Third, the patrons at this library have inquired into the possibility of separating these collections, indicating a preference for reconfiguring the current shelf arrangement that defines LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction as their own entities deserving of separate, dedicated spaces. Our patrons are our consumers, and as such, it would behoove of us to consider altering our current shelf layout to make it more inclusive of and align with our patrons’ values.

 

References:

Chapman, E.L. (2013). No more controversial than a gardening display?: Provision of LGBT-related fiction to children and young people in UK public libraries. Library Trends, 61(3), 542-568

Jardine, F. (2013). Inclusive information for trans∗ persons. Public Library Quarterly, 32(3), 240–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2013.818856