Selection or censorship? School librarians and LGBTQ resources

All students, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ), benefit from quality library books that reflect their experiences. This mixed-method research project examines whether public high school library professionals self-censor their library collections when it comes to materials with LGBTQ themes. Quantitative data were collected from 120 Ohio public high school libraries and 12 school librarians were interviewed. The results suggest that school libraries tended to have significantly fewer LGBTQ-themed books than titles with other kinds of controversial content, and that certain school-based factors such as high enrolment, racial diversity, liberal-leaning community locations; and presence of certified school librarians, were present in schools with more inclusive LGBTQ collections. Qualitative findings supported the quantitative analyses in that participants stressed the importance of a supportive community and administration when developing a quality, inclusive library collection.