Dear author friends – and reader friends who would like to help out –
OutFront Minnesota (http://www.outfront.org/home), a Minnesota non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organization, is opening up a Youth Library at their headquarters on October 5, and could use our help! Specifically, right now, they need, according to librarian Sara Cassidy, “books, books, and more books! We’re looking for young adult novels with LGBTQ characters, books surrounding LGBTQ issues for youth, autobiographies of LGBTQ folks, or books by LGBTQ authors. Our greatest need will be for teens, but we hope to have sections for younger readers and parents as well.” (Right now they don’t have the ability to offer electronic books, and are looking for paperback or hardcover only. This may change in the future, however.)
The library, located in the OutFront Minnesota offices, will also be a gateway for LGBTQ teens and tweens to access counseling, and get involved in community organizing around social justice issues. It’s going to be amazing.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that my own books aren’t terribly well suited to their needs (but I hope to be teaching some writing classes there, starting this winter). But I know I have a LOT of friends whose books would be perfect. Or who know people whose books would be perfect. So here’s what I’m proposing. Between now and National Coming Out Day (October 11), if you would like to donate a book, drop me an e-mail (rorynicoileain (at) yahoo dot com) or hit me up of Facebook if that’s where you hang out, and I’ll give you my shipping address – then, on or about National Coming Out Day I’ll load up the car and make a delivery to the Library. (If you’d like to help out some other way, drop me an e-mail and I’ll get you in touch with Sara.)
Teens + books = anything is possible. Let’s help make it happen, my friends.
Rory Ni Coileain 