Description and History
Rainbow Book Month™ is a nationwide celebration of the authors and writings that reflect the lives and experiences of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, genderqueer, queer, intersex, agender, and asexual community. Originally established in the early 1990s by The Publishing Triangle as National Lesbian and Gay Book Month, this occasion is an opportunity for book lovers and libraries with the very best in LGBTQIA+ literature.
Sponsors
Rainbow Book Month™ is an initiative of the American Library Association, and is coordinated through its Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services and the Rainbow Round Table.
Professional Learning Resources
Prepared for Pride Month: A Conversation (Free ALA/AASLMember Exclusive Webinar)
June 6, 2023 | 4:30 pm CDT
Pride Month displays and programming, as well as materials with LGBTQ+ characters and themes, have been a primary target for censorship. Library workers have faced harassment, LGBTQ+ events have been canceled due to safety concerns, and many resources have been defaced, damaged, or destroyed by the individuals or groups targeting them. From public and school libraries to academic and special libraries, no part of the library ecosystem has been spared in the campaign against LGBTQ+ content. In this conversation, panelists will share their expertise and provide attendees with best practices and practical strategies to advocate for and support LGBTQ+ content and programming during Pride Month and beyond. Presented by the Freedom to Read Foundation, co-sponsored by OIF, the ALA Rainbow Round Table, AASL, and PLA.
LGBTQ-Inclusive Collections School Librarian Self-Reflections and Collection Development Guide
Knowledge Quest, Volume 50, No. 4, pg. 22 (requires member login)
In this article for KQ, Rachel Altobelli and Nancy Jo Lambert provide language school librarians need to engage with the school community to support LGBTQ+ students and families. They discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ books and authors that serve as windows and mirrors as well as provide vital information that students may not have access to elsewhere.
Building Diverse Collections for LGBTQ+ Students
Blogger Brandi Hartsell shares in this Knowledge Quest post how she strives to ensure that the library collection at her school reflects our diverse society and world. She shares resources to undertake a diversity audit and analyze your library collection title by title to check for diverse representation.
Learner Engagement Resources
Booklists
- Rainbow Book List
The Rainbow Book List is created by the ALA Rainbow Round Table. The Rainbow Book List presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic LGBQTIA+ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age. - Stonewall Book Awards
The first and most enduring award for LGBTQIA+ books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by ALA’s Rainbow Round Table (formerly the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table).
Books Matter™ | Children's & Young Adult Literature
ADL provides an online bibliography of recommended children’s and young adult books about bias, bullying, diversity and social justice. This curated list provides age level recommended books on LGBTQ+ People & Heterosexism.
The Rainbow Library
The Rainbow Library, a 2022 AASL Commendation recipient, is a GLSEN program that sends LGBTQ+ affirming text sets to schools across the country — for free. Any full-time staff member at a K-12 school in a participating state or county is welcome to request a Rainbow Library.
LGBT Books in Storytime
In this ALSC blog post, Abby Johnson shares the importance of sharing LGBT books in storytime in - and beyond - the month of June. Johnson also recommends books with positive representation where identity is not the main focus of the story.