The Provo Library: An Unlikely Ally

We usually hold USGA’s Thursday night activities in the Provo Library, but this is one of the first activities to focus on exploring the library and all that it has to offer the queer community. Maybe I just needed to visit the library more, but I didn’t realize how inviting of a space it could be. It’s easy to get a library card, all you need is a valid ID and some proof of residency (i.e. a piece of mail, LDS tools, etc.), and you can choose from a wide variety of card designs. I chose the fairy, because the colors scream bisexual (as pictured above). But those aren’t the only reasons the library appeals to me as a safe space. It’s not that I’m surprised because I didn’t expect these queer resources to be there, but because I didn’t expect for it to mean so much to me. They have so many LGBTQ+ books and authors, and by requesting more on the library’s website we can help expand that collection. Our history chair and VP of projects, Toni, put together a list of all the different LGBTQ+ books that can be found at the library, categorized by sexual and gender preference, linked here.

They also put together a presentation on various LGBTQ+ historical and contemporary authors, which I highly recommend combing through if you have a spare second. There are fun facts, cute jokes, lists of their most popular works, and so much more. That will also be linked here. Overall, it was a very enlightening night. (I’d like to see a USGA book club in the future, so everyone who is reading this should start annoying the USGA leadership to make that happen!)