QNnotes is thrilled to announce the selection of our Organization of the Year: The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (CML). Traditionally, we select a nonprofit to highlight as our organization of the year, but with the current political climate, we feel it’s important to highlight the important work the libraries in Charlotte have done to include LGBTQ+ perspectives.
The CML was established in 1903 as an original Carnegie Library. It has since grown to 20 locations throughout the area, with the mission of improving lives and building a stronger community. The library has been a champion of representation, particularly in regard to Charlotte’s queer residents.
“CML, like libraries everywhere, wants to ensure that our users and communities see themselves (and their friends and family members) in our collections, programs and events,” library CEO Marcellus Turner told QNnotes. “The LGBTQ+ programs, collections and services that we offer serve to educate, inform and reflect the reading interests of all our communities.”
Turner said library staff have made it a priority to include LGBTQ+ resource materials for patrons, as well as programming for all ages. He also said these efforts go beyond recognizing Pride month in June.
“We have had several rainbow story times and had our first Drag Queen program this year as well at AWR,” Turner explained. “It is one of our system-wide goals to make sure all our displays highlight diverse voices.”
In addition to programming for patrons, the CML has also completed diversity audits of all its materials to see just how many different underrepresented groups appear in the libraries’ collections.
“Additionally, we recently completed a diversity audit of our entire print collection and were excited to see that when it comes to LGBTQ+ titles, we were ranked very highly compared to other library systems,” Turner offered. “It was reassuring to see the hard work of our selectors reflected in high numbers across all genres and age groups.”
Libraries have traditionally been an institution of inclusivity and acceptance. Today’s political climate, however, has resulted in a movement to ban books related to LGBTQ+ or other deemed “controversial” topics. According to PEN America, 3,362 book bans affecting 1,557 unique titles were implemented, with over 40 percent of them occurring in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
“Unfortunately, a goal of inclusion doesn’t always mean that resources are available for inclusion or that they are positively viewed the same way now as they were years ago,” Turner said. “Equally, over time we’ve seen an increase in materials that have offered perspectives of normalcy or acceptance compared to what may have been available earlier.”
The CML staff has dedicated itself to educating the community about book bans by creating displays and programming to help spread awareness on the topic. Turner said by teaching patrons about book challenges, it in turn allows for there to be an open dialogue about book bans and their implications.
“As with book bans for any type or reason, the library stands firmly in its commitment to intellectual freedom and a person’s (or family’s) individual right to choose/access what they want to read,” he said. “We also have a rigorous review of all challenged books to ensure that our decisions are in line with our commitment to intellectual freedom.
“As to the future, we will hold firm that books have a right to be read by those who wish to read them, and our work will remain focused on that.”
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Board of Trustees created an intellectual freedom statement that speaks to this commitment, according to Turner. That statement reads as follows:
“Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to protecting the First Amendment’s guarantee of free and open access to information and ideas – a principle vital to our democracy and to each individual’s search for knowledge. We seek to provide our diverse community with a comprehensive collection of materials and programs providing a wide range of knowledge and perspectives.”
The CML has always had LGBTQ+ related materials, including works by such authors as James Baldwin, E.M. Forster and Edmund White, among others. In fact, the CML purchased copies of “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell in 2005. The book is a story of two male penguins who start a family with the help of a zookeeper.
“At the time this title was considered controversial and was challenged at many library and school systems,” Turner explained. “Even though we had our share of challenges, we kept it in the collection for our customers.”
According to Turner, the number of LGBTQ+ materials in the CML system has increased significantly over the last decade, especially as more publishers continue to provide resource materials. The demand has also increased, as people in the service area for CML are looking for more LGBTQ+ stories.
“Staff at branches will often hear from customers how grateful they are to see support during PRIDE months … one customer this year wrote in to thank us for our pride collections and displays,” Turner said. “They shared that it meant a lot to them, especially after the challenges the LGBTQ+ community has faced this year.
“While not every customer is appreciative of our materials, especially when they are highlighted through a display, staff are prepared to educate those who have questions by reminding them that the goal of the Library is to represent everyone in the community.”
The CML has also made community outreach a priority when it comes to engaging with underrepresented groups such as Charlotte’s LGBTQ+ community. Their service model
includes book clubs, writing programs, college and career information and much more. The library has also participated in Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride, as well as partnered with Time Out Youth to offer support to LGBTQ youth ages 13 through 24. There’s also a Mobile Library, which allows for youth to check out LGBTQ+ related materials discreetly.
“The Mobile Library has become a safe place for customers, specifically for teens, to check out and request information,” Turner said. “Our staff reported that teens stated they felt safe using the Mobile Library to check out material, especially if they have not come out to friends and family.”
Libraries are a crucial institution in the United States, as they are the center for many community resources and materials. It’s important to protect the right to access, according to Turner, and the best way to do so is to continue to support local libraries.
“Libraries are all about access and that is why they are important to communities — we provide access to information and technology that they might not have access to otherwise,” he said. “Our staff are trained in serving the public with the one goal of helping them find the information they need.
“True to our mission, our goal is to help people improve their lives and build community. Our work every day proves this.” ::
