Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries

Number 13 in the Litwin Books Series on Gender and Sexuality in Information Studies, Emily Drabinski, series editor.

In the library profession, and in the world as a whole, the experiences of trans and gender diverse people often go unnoticed, hidden, and ignored. But we are here. Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries is entirely written and edited by trans and gender diverse people involved in the field: its fifty-seven authors include workers from academic and public libraries, special collections and archives, and more; LIS students; and a few people who have left the library profession completely.

This book is not intended to be the definitive guide to trans and gender diverse experiences in libraries, but instead to start the conversation. It is our hope that this book will help trans and gender diverse people in libraries realize that they are not alone, and that their experiences are worth sharing.

This book also demonstrates some of the reality in a field that loves to think of itself as inclusive. From physical spaces to policies to interpersonal ignorance and bigotry, the experiences recounted in this book demonstrate that the library profession continues to fail its trans and gender diverse members over and over again. You cannot read these chapters and claim that Safe Zone stickers and “libraries are for everyone” signs have done the job. You cannot assume that everything is fine in your workplace because nobody has spoken out. You can no longer pretend that we don’t exist.

Kalani Keahi Adolpho (they/them and he/him) is a mixed Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian), queer, and trans person living in Richmond, VA. They are a Processing Archivist at Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries, and a member of the Homosaurus Editorial Board. Kalani holds a BA in History and an MLIS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His work focuses on diversity residencies, ethical description practices, metadata for trans and gender diverse communities, and trans and gender diverse inclusion more broadly. Contact Kalani at adolphok@vcu.edu.

Stephen G. Krueger (ey/em or he/him) is the Scholarly Publishing Librarian at Dartmouth College. Ey holds a B.A. in English from Warren Wilson College and an M.S.L.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is working on an M.A. in Arctic and Northern Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Stephen is the author of Supporting Trans People in Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2019). Learn more at www.stephengkrueger.com. Stephen can be reached at Stephen.G.Krueger@dartmouth.edu.

Krista McCracken (they/them) is a queer non-binary archivist and public historian. They work as the Researcher/Curator for the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre and Arthur A. Wishart Library at Algoma University. Their work focuses on community archives, access and outreach. Krista can be reached at krista.mccracken@gmail.com.