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The Provision of Lesbian Fiction in Public Libraries in Scotland - Alanna Broadley
- 1. The provision of lesbian fiction in public libraries in Scotland Alanna Broadley University of Strathclyde, MSc Information & Library Studies
- 2. Overview • Background • Research questions • Methodology • Discussion of findings & recommendations • Conclusion
- 3. Background •Only research in Scotland was in 2007 •Collection development did not consider lesbian fiction •Proactive approaches recommended •But no focus on reading interests or information needs of lesbian women •Reading lesbian fiction can contribute to sense of identity and community
- 4. Research questions •Why provide access to lesbian fiction? •How do public libraries in Scotland address lesbian fiction in collection development? •How can public libraries best develop collections to include lesbian fiction meeting needs of lesbian women?
- 5. Methodology
- 6. Methodology 1. Freedom of Information requests for - •collection development policies •supplier selection stock requirement profiles •Content analysis to quantitatively assess LGBT fiction consideration
- 7. Methodology 2. Catalogue check •List of lesbian fiction titles •Searched all 32 public library service catalogues •Were titles held catalogued as lesbian fiction?
- 8. Methodology 3. Online questionnaire •About experiences, habits and opinions of lesbian fiction readers •Promoted on Twitter & message boards •Total of 96 responses
- 9. What is lesbian fiction?
- 10. What is lesbian fiction? Definition from academic literature: Fiction by lesbian women, for lesbian women or about lesbian women
- 11. What is lesbian fiction? Definition from academic literature: Fiction by lesbian women, for lesbian women or about lesbian women
- 12. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% What is lesbian fiction? Questionnaire respondents agreed: • With a central lesbian character - 76% • Written for a lesbian audience - 69% • With a lesbian or bisexual character - 60% • Written by a lesbian woman - 40%
- 13. •Definitions did not match use in catalogues •Checklist books – •A lesbian main character •Categorised into crime, mystery, historical, general, classic or romance What is catalogued as lesbian fiction?
- 14. •25 of 33 books were not catalogued as lesbian fiction •Only romance and classic novels and 1 crime title were catalogued as lesbian fiction •But inconsistently across services What is catalogued as lesbian fiction?
- 15. •“Lesbian fiction” considered an exclusive label •Not used for contemporary fiction •Even if nominated for a LGBT literature award •Misconception can impact selection and accessibility What is catalogued as lesbian fiction?
- 16. •Recommendation: folksonomies in cataloguing •One library service used LibraryThing •Highest ratio of books catalogued as lesbian fiction: books held What is catalogued as lesbian fiction?
- 18. Why should public libraries provide access to lesbian fiction?
- 19. Why provide lesbian fiction? •Lesbian fiction is of value to lesbian women •Lesbian women should be represented in fiction and in public libraries •90% agreed lesbian fiction is an important contribution to LGBT culture
- 20. Why provide lesbian fiction? •Relating to portrayals •“easier” to identify with •“an emotional connection” •“on a different level” •Provided validation •Connection with lesbian community •Learning about themselves, others & their place in the world
- 21. Why provide lesbian fiction? •88% read at least a little when coming out •Agreement with information needs identified from previous research: •Understand sexual identify – 80% •Accept sexual identity – 77% •Learn about LGBT community – 59% •Feel less alone, aware of others – 80%
- 22. How is lesbian fiction considered in collection development?
- 23. •Of 26 collection development policies, none mentioned LGBT users or LGBT materials •Cf. 19% of a sample of 32 public libraries in England did (Chapman, 2007) •Recommendation: include section on meeting needs & interests of LGBT users Collection development policies
- 24. •50% of libraries in Scotland use supplier selection for all/some adult fiction stock •Stock requirement profiles typically include a genre specification list •Only 46% specified LGBT fiction requirements Supplier selection
- 25. •Libraries that did not: •Ignored LGBT genre option •Did not use genre lists •Considered LGBT fiction to be included in general fiction •Recommendation: full stock profiles used, with LGBT fiction requirements Supplier selection
- 26. Conclusion
- 27. •Lesbian fiction not adequately addressed in: •Collection development policies •Supplier selection practices •Cataloguing Conclusion
- 28. •Underlying recommendations: •Definition of lesbian fiction •Understanding value of lesbian fiction But further research needed •To improve the availability and accessibility of lesbian fiction in public libraries in Scotland Conclusion
Editor's Notes
- My name is Alanna Broadley and I am a graduate of the University of Strathclyde, with a Masters in Information and Library Studies. My dissertation investigated the provision of lesbian fiction in public libraries in Scotland.
- The questionnaire respondents were also asked for their definition of lesbian fiction. The most frequently chosen definition was fiction with a central character that identifies as a lesbian. Fiction written for a lesbian audience was the second most agreed with choice, however the determination of such an intended audience is likely to rely on the author, main character or experience portrayed being lesbian. Just over a third agreed that fiction written by a lesbian women, so arguably the sexual orientation of the author may be less influential in labelling lesbian fiction compared with the content of the book itself. Interestingly, lesbian fiction arguably includes women from the LGBT community who do not identify with the term lesbian for their sexual orientation. For example, fiction with a lesbian or bisexual character was chosen by 60% of the respondents. Lesbian fiction was therefore considered by some respondents to be part of wider LGBT fiction or as a shorthand term for fiction that is for or is about women from the LGBT community.
- The questionnaire respondents were also asked for their definition of lesbian fiction. The most frequently chosen definition was fiction with a central character that identifies as a lesbian. Fiction written for a lesbian audience was the second most agreed with choice, however the determination of such an intended audience is likely to rely on the author, main character or experience portrayed being lesbian. Just over a third agreed that fiction written by a lesbian women, so arguably the sexual orientation of the author may be less influential in labelling lesbian fiction compared with the content of the book itself. Interestingly, lesbian fiction arguably includes women from the LGBT community who do not identify with the term lesbian for their sexual orientation. For example, fiction with a lesbian or bisexual character was chosen by 60% of the respondents. Lesbian fiction was therefore considered by some respondents to be part of wider LGBT fiction or as a shorthand term for fiction that is for or is about women from the LGBT community.
- The questionnaire respondents were also asked for their definition of lesbian fiction. The most frequently chosen definition was fiction with a central character that identifies as a lesbian. Fiction written for a lesbian audience was the second most agreed with choice, however the determination of such an intended audience is likely to rely on the author, main character or experience portrayed being lesbian. Just over a third agreed that fiction written by a lesbian women, so arguably the sexual orientation of the author may be less influential in labelling lesbian fiction compared with the content of the book itself. Interestingly, lesbian fiction arguably includes women from the LGBT community who do not identify with the term lesbian for their sexual orientation. For example, fiction with a lesbian or bisexual character was chosen by 60% of the respondents. Lesbian fiction was therefore considered by some respondents to be part of wider LGBT fiction or as a shorthand term for fiction that is for or is about women from the LGBT community.
- The questionnaire respondents were also asked for their definition of lesbian fiction. The most frequently chosen definition was fiction with a central character that identifies as a lesbian. Fiction written for a lesbian audience was the second most agreed with choice, however the determination of such an intended audience is likely to rely on the author, main character or experience portrayed being lesbian. Just over a third agreed that fiction written by a lesbian women, so arguably the sexual orientation of the author may be less influential in labelling lesbian fiction compared with the content of the book itself. Interestingly, lesbian fiction arguably includes women from the LGBT community who do not identify with the term lesbian for their sexual orientation. For example, fiction with a lesbian or bisexual character was chosen by 60% of the respondents. Lesbian fiction was therefore considered by some respondents to be part of wider LGBT fiction or as a shorthand term for fiction that is for or is about women from the LGBT community.
- I received the collection development policies for 26 library services. however none of them mentioned LGBT users or materials. In comparison, Elizabeth Chapman found that 18.75% of a sample of 32 libraries in England did have a collection development policy that mentioned LGBT materials.
- I received the collection development policies for 26 library services. however none of them mentioned LGBT users or materials. In comparison, Elizabeth Chapman found that 18.75% of a sample of 32 libraries in England did have a collection development policy that mentioned LGBT materials.
- I received the collection development policies for 26 library services. however none of them mentioned LGBT users or materials. In comparison, Elizabeth Chapman found that 18.75% of a sample of 32 libraries in England did have a collection development policy that mentioned LGBT materials.
- I received the collection development policies for 26 library services. however none of them mentioned LGBT users or materials. In comparison, Elizabeth Chapman found that 18.75% of a sample of 32 libraries in England did have a collection development policy that mentioned LGBT materials.
- I received the collection development policies for 26 library services. however none of them mentioned LGBT users or materials. In comparison, Elizabeth Chapman found that 18.75% of a sample of 32 libraries in England did have a collection development policy that mentioned LGBT materials.