Quick (and Useful) Tips for Serving Trans and Gender Nonconforming Patrons

Libraries like to think of themselves as welcoming and open to the entire community. But in both subtle and non subtle ways, there are plenty of people who are made to feel that their library isn’t “for them.” It’s time to change this.

Imagine walking into your local library and seeing a featured book selection one month a year geared towards your own demographic. Imagine being greeted in a way that doesn’t reflect who you truly are. Imagine not being able to find up-to-date, relevant information on your personal health and wellness, and instead being faced with medical guides that don’t even address your personhood in a respectful way.

For transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people, this imagined experience is far too often the reality. Well-meaning library staff can miss important collection gaps, over-apologize for pronoun misuse, only prominently feature LGBTQ+ content during Pride Month, and *cringe* even over-police “different” library patrons as they access library space.

Fortunately, libraries and librarians who want to learn how to best provide the best possible service for all patrons have some easy ways to get a great start. The online guide Library Services for Trans and Gender Nonconforming Patrons is a simple blog with a useful Best Practices Guide. A quick-read summary of “Serving the Transgender Community: It’s More Than Just Bathrooms!” highlights some simple Do’s and Don’ts of providing library service to transgender library patrons. For those itching to search a database for a deep dive into this topic, start with the research of Vanessa L. Kitzie, PhD. See previous post “ALA Midwinter Top 5” for a summary of a panel discussion featuring Kitzie, “The Future of Trust.”

For anyone who’s tempted to think “I don’t have many/any transgender or gender nonconforming people in my community”…think again! Check out Transformer (2017) - one of my favorite documentaries of all time - and I’ve seen a lot!. (Update 6/6/22 - Transformer is currently no longer available on Netflix, but it is available through Kanopy with your library card). Authentic gender expression is not black-and-white. It is often a personal journey towards fuller understanding and realization of one’s true self. This doesn’t happen overnight. And it often isn’t easy. For this reason alone, gender nonconforming people deserve the utmost respect, compassion, and support. People need resources to learn about themselves, what their health and medical options are, and to regularly see reflected back to them their own stories and experiences.

Like all social progress, we will make it farther, longer, and stronger if we work together. Don’t let your outreach to gender questioning or nonconforming patrons begin and end at a book display. Research and implement common-sense best practices that not only respect but involve input from patrons of various life experiences. Take the time to think about what your library can do right now, in three months time, in six months time, and in a year plus’s time to reach members of your community that need information and support.

Resources (just a few of the many great resources out there):

Creating the Trans-Inclusive Library: A Practice Guide Journal Article by Brett D. Currier and Vanessa White

Trans, Nonbinary and GNC Voices to Help you Celebrate Pride Article by Jill Rothstein, New York Public Library

Improve your Customer Service Skills: Go Gender Neutral! Article by Micah Kehrein, Seattle Public Library

Library Service for Trans and Gender Nonconforming Patrons (Blog)

Serving the Transgender Community Article by Carrie Smith summarizing ALA Midwinter 2020 presentation '“Serving the Transgender Community: It’s More Than Just Bathrooms!”

Main photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash