ERIC Number: EJ882216
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Apr
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0024-2519
EISSN: N/A
Gay Men's Book Clubs versus Wisconsin's Public Libraries: Political Perceptions in the Absence of Dialogue
Pruitt, John
Library Quarterly, v80 n2 p121-141 Apr 2010
Because of an absence of dialogue, a tense relationship appears to exist between Wisconsin's gay men's book discussion groups and their local public libraries. Public library directors express interest in accommodating these groups if approached but face budget restrictions and local communities that may oppose these gatherings; gay men's book clubs prefer meeting in private homes and other openly gay-friendly environments largely because of the conservatism of cultural institutions in their collective memories. This qualitative study argues that, with consistent dialogues, gay discussion groups can help public libraries achieve their missions of diversifying their patrons, collections, and services, and that public libraries can assist gay communities with establishing themselves in the city or county's history by hosting visible public discussions of gay texts as markers of an entire community's cultural heritage.
Descriptors: Discussion Groups, Clubs, Cultural Centers, Public Libraries, Homosexuality, Males, Library Services, Social Attitudes, Social Bias, Books
University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-188; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A