Supporting Trans People in Libraries - by Stephen Krueger (Paperback)

About the Book

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.

• 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)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Well worth reading for library staff at any level seeking to improve their gender-inclusive practices." --Library Journal

"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

"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

About the Author