Here are many great print references that contributed to the building of this website.
Bosman, E. Bradford, J.P. (2008). Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Literature: a Genre Guide. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
Bosman and Bradford’s (2008) book is a great resource of LGBT-focused books covering many genres. The resource is organized in a way that allows the user easy access to information specific to a genre, such as Science Fiction & Fantasy and then by sub-genres demarcated by subject matter. For example under Science Fiction are the headings “Alien Worlds,” “Computers and Artificial Intelligence (AI),” and “Alternate Worlds and Time Travel” to name a few. Fantasy is also organized by subject matter or the like. For instance a few of the heading under Fantasy are “High Fantasy,” “Mythic Past,” and “Contemporary Magic.” The resource is written for librarians interested in helping their LGBTQ patrons. The author’s and editor’s backgrounds are LGBT-focused providing authority and dept to the history of LGBT literature.
Cadora, K. (2000). “Science fiction.” In B. Zimmerman (Ed.), Lesbian Histories and Cultures (pp 674-675). New York: Garland.
Karen Cadora’s article is a succinct history of the mix of lesbians and Science Fiction. The purpose of the article is to give a brief overview of Science Fiction’s relationship with lesbians. The article reflects to beginnings of lesbian and feminist Science Fiction writing in the 1940’s to the seventies second wave feminism and finally lesbian Science Fiction writers and the emersion of lesbians of color. The article was written generally for people curious about lesbians and Science Fiction. Karen Cadora is a Science Fiction author and understands the issues that affect lesbians and bisexual women.
Downey, J. (2005). Public Library Collection Development Issues Regarding the Information Needs of GLBT Patrons. Progressive Librarian. 25. P.86-95.
This article points out ways that libraries are selectively censoring materials that are appropriate for LGBTQ readers. Downey asserts the reasons that libraries are using to censor LGBTQ materials and addresses each one by one. The article is organized first by problems addressed in the current library literature and then answers the problems with solutions from other areas of the literature. Furthermore, the article contains a “suggestion and solutions” section for librarians that wish to add to their LGBTQ collections in their libraries. A large body of references and the fact the article appeared in a library journal gives the article good authority so that professional librarians would feel comfortable using the information.
Garber, E. & Paleo, Lyn. (1990). Uranian worlds: A guide to alternative sexuality in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Second Edition. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co.
Eric Garber and Lyn Paleo’s Uranian worlds: A guide to alternative sexuality in science fiction, fantasy, and horror is an annotated bibliography of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror stories that feature LGBT characters or situations. The purpose of the book is to help the LGBT community connect with the three genres. The book is organized by seven sections. The main section is “Uranian Worlds” which lists authors alphabetically by last name, a plot summary including how the story relates to the LGBTQ community. The audience the book was written for was LGBTQ Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror fans, but the resource would just as easily serve the RA that wanted to help their LGBTQIA patrons find books in one of the genres. The authors have co-written another LGBT resource and are involved in other LGBTQ projects; additionally the introductions are written by Samuel Delany and Joanna Russ: both are Science Fiction authors that appeal to the LGBTQ community. This is a great source for a RA due to the accessibility to authors and titles; as well as the resource’s appendixes.
Griffin, G. (2002). Who’s Who in Lesbian and Gay Writing. New York: Routledge.
An alphabetical list of Lesbian and Gay authors in which Griffin clarifies that authors are included if they have publically identified as lesbian or gay or who are known to be lesbian or gay or if the text by an author has any lesbian or gay content. This has resulted in a large body of work with somewhat surprising inclusions of authors such as William Shakespeare and Iris Murdock (both of whom Griffin clearly states were not gay themselves, but included LGBTQ themes in their works). This book would be ideal for librarians to use when preparing book talks and they would like more information about an author.
Merrick, H. (Winter, 2009). “Book Reviews: What’s a bright feminist like you doing in a genre like this?| Reading Women’s Science Fiction”. Feminist Collections vol. 30 (1) Retrieved October 1, 2010.
Helen Merrick’s (2009) Book Reviews: What’s a bright feminist like you doing in a genre like this?| Reading Women’s Science Fiction is a theoretical article that draws parallels between Feminist and Queer theories and Science Fiction. The article is not a reference desk resource, but it is one that should be read by a RA that wants a better understanding about Science Fiction as a genre; as well as comprehension as to what that genre can offer their LGBTQIA patrons. Merrick’s (2009) article purpose and scope offers a Feminist and Queer theory look at Science Fiction history, book reviews and a suggestion about the future of Feminist and Queer Science Fiction. As noted earlier, the organization of the article does not permit “at the desk” quick access to Science Fiction book titles, but the article allows useful insight to Science Fiction and its readers. The intended audience is Feminist and Queer theorists and the article has a lot to offer the curious RA. Merrick has written four books concerning Feminist and Queer theory’s connection to Science Fiction, giving her authority in the genre.
Pearson. W. (2003). Science fiction and queer theory. In E. James & F. Mendlesohn (Eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (pp 149-160). Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.
Pearson’s (2003) “Science Fiction and Queer Theory” article offers a theoretic perspective of the queerness in the genre of Science Fiction. Pearson’s purpose is to argue Science Fiction’s ability to talk about and explore sexuality’s fluidity. Pearson organizes the article by topic -based headings featuring specific books that apply to the topic. The audience of the article will be Queer Theorists and Science Fiction fans. It is for this reason that I recommend that RAs should read the article, to gain theoretical knowledge of Science Fiction and its LGBTQ fans. Pearson at the time of publication, was a PhD English Studies. Pearson’s literary works are other theoretical pieces concerning Science Fiction and Queer Theory. This article is a great resource for a RA working with LGBTQ communities. Beyond this, the article is one of many in the book that would expand the RA’s knowledge of Science Fiction in general; as well as topics of sexuality and gender in science fiction.
Riemer, J.D. (1986). “Homosexuality in science fiction and fantasy.” In D. Palumbo (Ed.), Erotic Universe: Sexuality and Fantastic Literature (pp 145-61). New York: Greenwood Press.
James D. Riemer’s article “Homosexuality in Science Fiction and Fantasy,” is an important article for RAs to read. The purpose of the article is to explain how LGBTQ characters are portrayed in certain Fantasy stories. The organization of the article is an essay style without headings, and with the book discussions within author -focused paragraphs. The audience intended for the essay is those in the LGBTQ community. At the time of publishing Riemer was an assistant professor of English. His work focuses on sex roles and masculinity in Science Fiction and Fantasy. Some of the books in Riemer’s article should be as taken as warnings of what not to recommend, as some stories within the Fantasy genre portray their LGBTQ characters negatively. Therefore, this article will help RAs know how a LGBTQ character is presented so that the RA does not unintentionally offend a patron by recommending the book without warning the patron of the controversial viewpoint or storyline.
Seborg, L. (2005) Sharing the stories of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community: Providing Library Service to the GLBT Patron. PNLA Quarterly. 70. p. 15-17.
This was not so much an article but rather a number of good suggestions and resources grouped together to assist librarians in creating a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ patrons. The article pointed out what was happening at libraries across the country, the good and the bad events as well as a number of websites for further information and to connect library patrons who might be interested. This article came from the Pacific Northwest Library Association and contained a fairly extensive bibliography of sources to establish authenticity.
Summers, C.L. ed. (2002). The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage: A Reader’s Companion to the Writers and Their Works from Antiquity to the Present. New York: Routledge.
This book contains an alphabetical list of authors who have contributed to the body of work for the LGBTQ community. In addition to their biographies, this work contains an alphabetical list of articles on subjects of interest to the LGBTQ community such as “coming out stories” or “romantic friendship”. This book would be helpful for a librarian or library patron to gather more information about authors for book talks or when they needed more information on a LGBTQ subject.