24 Responses

  1. Deeze
    Deeze at |

    Again Timmy you state things so clearly. I wish the so called adults in charge had half your insight. Well done <3

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      I hope there are some librarians read this. Thanks for stopping by Deeze!
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  2. Lili
    Lili at |

    This is so true, Timmy. I requested several YA LGBT titles and only two were added. I also donated a copy of Omorphi but it’s under review. It’s so frustrating. 🙁

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      But at least the two are out there now. Keep trying, and thanks for what you’re doing.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  3. karihiga
    karihiga at |

    Timmy, you are so right about having more LGBT YA in schools and public libraries. I have requested more and I even gave the librarian the list Cody gave me. I need to go follow up. Our libraries do have the Overdrive system so that ebooks can be borrowed. I did find some LGBT YA books. I did finally get in touch with our high school sponsor for the gay/straight alliance and his students I’m told have found books through Kindle and Barnes & Noble. I’m not quite sure how active they are. Thanks Timmy, for pushing this through your library. And I will follow up with our library next week!

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      Yeah, all my books come from friends or amazon, but not every teen has the money for that. 🙁 Thanks for what you are doing though. It is a huge help.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  4. Mel Leach
    Mel Leach at |

    Great post, Timmy! And you are so right, it is imperative that both public and school libraries provide LGBTQIA literature for our youth. It’s not only important for LGBTQIA youth, it is also important for all youths to read these stories. It promotes acceptance and understanding for everyone. Tax dollars support both school and public libraries so it is only fair that some of these resources are spent on providing LGBTQIA material as the LGBTQIA tax payers contribute to the support of these institutions.

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      That’s a great argument! I will use that when I write my letter to them.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  5. Denise Dechene
    Denise Dechene at |

    As always Timmy a very insightful post. I agree that libraries need to carry books for LGBTQIA YA. I really need to follow up with the library here. See you on your next post. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      Thanks for checking with your library! The more we ask the harder we will be to be ignored.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  6. Michael J Bowler
    Michael J Bowler at |

    Great post, as always, Timmy. You hit on why I chose to have gay main characters in my Children of the Knight books, so gay teens and non-gay teens can see kids just like them who think like they do and make mistakes like they do and make good choices like they do, including the choice to be heroic when necessary. Not all kids like or want romance, especially boys. Seeing gay teen boys as “action” heroes is something that’s not much out there for kids, so I wrote characters like that to fill the void. I think librarians are more afraid of the parents who might raise a big stink about gay kids being depicted as completely normal in books than they are about gay kids being able to read about themselves in literature. It’s sad and it’s wrong and hopefully one day soon it will change. Keep pestering your librarians until they give in. As the old saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      I like romance, but I like that there are books where LGBT characters are something more too. It’s like, Hey we can be superheros, super smart kids, or paranormal characters too!
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  7. diannehartsock
    diannehartsock at |

    Such an important message, Timmy, and so true. Like Michael said, we need to keep pushing this squeaky wheel until it gets heard. Thanks for this excellent post.

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      We need to have more then one person in each place asking. Have you friends, family, and/or other supporters writing to them too!
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
      1. diannehartsock
        diannehartsock at |

        Yes!

        Reply
  8. Anna Lund
    Anna Lund at |

    Brilliant insight, as always, Timmy. We all do what we can to change the world a little bit around us. Slowly things Do change.
    Well said, and keep pestering librarians! Never give up! <3

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      Let’s hope that the changes come sooner then later.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  9. Lynette
    Lynette at |

    I always love your posts, Timmy. But this one I really have to thank you for. Not only is the message important but it has also given me a chance to feel proud.

    I work in a public library so whenever I read a post about libraries and LGBT issues, I like to take a look at our collections to see how we’re doing. This time I found a few lists online, looked at LGBT related book awards and checked out the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) website and compared what I found to what is in our collection. What I found brought me to tears – happy tears. We have more than 90% of the books on these lists!!!

    I know from my own experience how important to one’s survival and sanity books and libraries can be. Knowing that I work in a place that is helping LGBTQIA youth get the “information, hope, and perspective” they need makes me so happy and so proud!!

    I know my library is more of an exception than the rule. In case it might be helpful to others, here are links to some of the lists I used:

    ALA’s Guide to YA Novels with LGBTQ Characters

    Stonewall Book Awards

    25 Must Read YA Books featuring Gay Protagonists

    10 LGBT YA Books You need to Read This Year

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      This is the greatest Comment ever! Even if there only a few libraries that do this, we still need to look at the fact that there ARE some that carry books for us! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all those you have helped by having the resources available to them.
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  10. Jase Glines
    Jase Glines at |

    Timmy, that was a brilliant post! I agree with you. The LGBT youth need books to show them that not only are they normal but that they can be happy. That life has so many wonderful things in store from them. School and public libraries owe it to our youth to have these books available. I believe that, in time, things will change and all libraries will carry books for not just LGBT youth but the whole community. And it will all be because of the strength and perseverance of people like you. Again, brilliant job!! **HUGS** <3

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      Thanks Uncle Jase! So glad you stopped by to read this!
      <3 Timmy

      Reply
  11. sandym0327
    sandym0327 at |

    Excellent blog post, Timmy! I will never understand the reluctance of school and public libraries to carry books that can benefit LGBT kids. It makes no sense to me.

    Reply
    1. Kell Ryder
      Kell Ryder at |

      Yeah, I don’t understand it either. I just hope to change their views. <3 Timmy

      Reply
  12. Mia Kerick
    Mia Kerick at |

    Hi Timmy!! I just realized that you wrote this-great and important article, and as you can imagine, I fully agree!!! Kids and teens and everybody needs to be able to find themselves in books.

    Reply

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