Libraries Aimed at Marginalized Groups in Michigan

Title

Jim Toy Library

Spectrum Center and Jim Toy Library

Description

A library housed within the University of Michigan's Spectrum Center in the Union, the Jim Toy Library acquires the latest LGBT fiction and non-fiction and also offers DVDs, CDs, and board games in addition to its books. This library is added to our collection because it prioritized LGBT communities and their writing. The library is open to students, faculty, and visitors outside the institution. To check out books during open hours (Monday through Friday 9am - 6pm), however, one will need an M Card (University of Michigan ID). This library is named after LGBT activist and alumnus Jim Toy who established the now-called Spectrum Center in 1971.

Date

Established by Jim Toy as the Human Sexuality Office in 1971.

locator

Located in the Michigan Union on University of Michigan's campus at 530 S State St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Title

Western Michigan University LGBT Community Library

Description

The lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender student services on Western Michigan University's campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan is both a library and resource center for students. This library is also a space to go to for information on on- and off-campus housing, campus policies, academic resources, counseling help, ally guides, and name change support. It also acts as a lounge for assorted media and entertainment and LGBT-related news materials. This space is open to everyone, especially LGBT-identifying students and can be found in the LGBT student services office space in the Adriam Trimpe Multicultural Center on 2466 Ring Road S, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 (main campus's address is 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI). Materials can be checked out with an appropriate student ID, or a "bronco card." Non-students and non-faculty are also welcome to visit during open visiting hours, which are 9am - 5pm Monday through Friday.

Place

WMU's LGBT Student Services Center and Library is located on campus, at 2466 Ring Road S, Kalamazoo, MI, 49006.

WMU LGBT Student Services and Library

WMU LGBT Student Services Instagram

Rights Holder

Photo courtesy of WMU's LGBT Student Resource Center Website

Resources page photograph

Title

MSU LGBT Special Collections Resources

Description

Within the Michigan State University libraries, there exists extensive collections, archives, papers, magazines, clippings, audio, and letters that tell hundreds of stories of the queer community all around Michigan. This resource is made for the MSU student and faculty community, as well as any interested visitor or researcher that can sift for hours through this vast collection through online finding aids, glossaries, guides and tutorials, or with the help of an outreach librarian. Librarian Eli Landaverde can be contacted at elandav@msu.edu. In-person appointments can be made Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10am - 4pm through MSU's website (3 business days recommended in advance) or one can visit during open hours which vary by library and collection. Materials can only be used inside of the reading room and cannot be checked out. Further, MSU's library also provides services such as passport services, information literacy librarians, assistive listening devices, and motorized carts that can be used to move around the library's physical premises.

Format

Formats of archival collections include electronic guides and assistive listening aids.

Place

Michigan State University LGBT special collections are held within the larger university library system, in the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections. The main library can be found at 366 W Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824.

MSU LGBT Special Collections Resources

Rights Holder

Photo courtesy of MSU Special Collections Website

Murray and Hong Special Collections Web Page

Title

Mads R. Terpstra LGBT Resource Center Library

Description

Originally created alongside the Center in 2008, the recently-renamed Mads R. Terpstra Library is housed within the Kirkhof building as a part of Grand Valley State University's Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center. The library acts as a source of both entertainment and assistance, as it contains up-to-date legal codes, histories, and articles concerning LGBT+ issues, as well as a wide variety of fictional novels and DVDs. This library was selected for this archive due to its recent renovation allowing for an assurance of updated items, as well as the assistance offered by Resource Center staff. Information is freely available regarding resources outside of the University community, including healthcare, legal counsel, and allyship training for outside organizations. The library is open to students, faculty, and visitors outside of the institution. To check out items during open hours (Monday through Friday 9am-6pm), patrons will need their ID or G-Number on hand. The library is named after the student who updated the collection from 2021-2022. The Milton E. Ford's address is 1161 Russel H. Kirkhof Center, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI 49401.

Date

This library was created in tandem with Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center in 2008, and renamed in 2022.

Rights Holder

Photo courtesy of Mads Terpstra

Access Rights

To confirm whether the Center is open, or for any library-associated events, consult the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center website.

Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center