Readers’ Advisory as a Tool to Foster Empathy and Build Community Support Through Queer Book Clubs

ABSTRACT: Since 2018, the number one book most frequently challenged in public schools and libraries in the United States has featured an LGBTQIA+ main character and/or author. According to data collected by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, in 2023 alone, more than nine thousand individual titles were challenged, the most challenged title being Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. With censorship on the rise and the increased number of state laws prohibiting queer and/or trans people from accessing health care or even using specific gendered restrooms, it is imperative that public libraries embrace queer-centric programming to emphasize the importance of the Freedom to Read for every patron, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity. This article will detail the necessary steps of starting, running, and successfully maintaining a Queer Book Club and will also detail strategies of how to navigate potential roadblocks, such as lack of funding for queer books or self-censorship among library staff. By incorporating an LGBTQIA+-themed book club into regular programming, library workers will be able to observe the positive impact on both staff and patrons, whether they consider themselves part of the queer community or they just want to have a little more Pride in their reading.