IFLA Survey of LGBTIQ+ Library Resources and Services

July 8, 2019

IFLA, the International Federation of Libraries and Archives, is collecting information from libraries around the world on the LGBTQ+ resources, services, spaces, programming, and employee support that they may provide.

Responses will help the IFLA LGBTQ+ Special Interest Group develop international guidelines for LGBTQ+ library resources, services, spaces, programming, and employee support.

• IFLA Survey of LGBTIQ+ Library Resources and Services

Note: the survey is available in both English and French (as well as in Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish)

Background Information

Purpose of the Survey

The purpose of this survey is to determine how libraries around the world recognize and meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer/questioning (LGBTIQ+) populations, as well as the need for cisgender and/or heterosexual populations to have access to information and resources about LGBTIQ+ people and issues.

Participation

This survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You may refuse to take part in the research or exit the survey at any time. You are free to decline to answer any particular question you do not wish to answer for any reason.

Benefits

You will receive no direct benefits from participating in this research study. However, your responses may help us learn more about how libraries around the world support access to LGBTIQ+ information and provide support for LGBTIQ+ individuals.

Risks

There are no foreseeable risks involved in participating in this study other than those encountered in day-to-day life.  You may find some of the questions to be sensitive, and those questions may cause emotional distress.  Those who may work in an environment potentially unfriendly to LGBTIQ+ individuals may choose to complete this survey away from the workplace.

Confidentiality / Anonymity Statement

Your survey responses will be collected as anonymized data in a password protected electronic format.  IFLA will not collect identifying information such as your name, email address, or IP address.  Any data used in reports or presentations will not have names or other identifying information attached to them.

Contact for More Information

Please contact Rachel Wexelbaum at rswexelbaum@stcloudstate.edu for more information about this survey.

Survey Questions

REFERENCE SERVICES

How do you offer reference services? [Please select all that apply]

• In person (at reference desk or individual research consultation)
• Phone
• Online chat
• Email
• Social media
• Other

What is the most frequently used reference service at your library? [Please select one]

• Traditional reference desk
• Individual research consultation
• Phone
• Email
• Online chat
• Other

Do you have subject specialists at your library who answer questions on particular subjects?

• YES
• NO

If yes, what subject specialists do you have?

Do you have librarians who work with particular populations in your community?

• YES
• NO

If YES, which specific populations have a designated librarian?

If someone came to the library seeking out information about LGBTIQ+ people or LGBTIQ+ issues, how would your library be equipped to respond to their reference question?

If your library does not have information about LGBTIQ+ people or LGBTIQ+ subjects, does it have connections to other institutions or organizations to help the library user get that information?

• YES
• NO

What barriers does your library face in providing information about LGBTIQ+ people or LGBTIQ+ issues, or in providing reference assistance in general?

COLLECTIONS

Is your library catalog available for public viewing?

• YES
• NO
• SOME PARTS

If YES, please provide a link to your website:

Please provide an estimate, by percentage, of the breakdown of your collection:

• Print books
• Audiovisual materials
• Electronic books
• Journals/Magazines/Newspapers
• Databases
• Other

In what subjects do you believe your library has strong collections? Why?

In what subjects do you believe your library could do better? Why?

Where does your funding for collection development come from?

Does your library provide LGBTIQ+ materials to the community?

• YES
• NO
• DO NOT KNOW

If YES, how does the library decide on which LGBTIQ+ materials to provide?

If NO, why does the library not provide LGBTIQ+ materials?

What barriers does your library face in providing LGBTIQ+ materials, or collection development in general?

PROGRAMMING / OUTREACH

Does your library offer programming (workshops, lectures, films, readings, concerts, etc) to its community members?

• YES
• NO

If YES, does the library collaborate with the community(ies) it serves to develop, organize, and fund the programming?

• YES
• NO

If YES, which programs are the most popular?

If YES, do you offer any programs for specific populations in the community?

• YES
• NO

If YES, what population-specific programming do you offer?

If NO, why not?

What funding does your library receive for programming / outreach?

If the community wanted to have some programming about LGBTIQ+ subjects, or wanted to invite a notable LGBTIQ+ person to the library to offer programming, how would your library be equipped to provide such programming?

How do you advertise library resources and services to the community? (Please select all that apply.)

• Passive methods: On the website, book displays in the library, handouts in the library
• Active methods: Library tables at community events, library presentations to different community groups
• Other

Do you include LGBTIQ+ resources and services in your outreach methods?

• YES
• NO

Does the library participate in LGBTIQ+ events or provide outreach to the LGBTIQ+ community?

• YES
• NO

What barriers does your library face in providing LGBTIQ+ programming or outreach, or any other type of programming or outreach?

SPACE

Does your library hire public safety or police officers?

• YES
• NO

If yes, why does the library hire public safety or police officers?

Does your library have any policies for patrons on how to behave in the library?

• YES
• NO

If YES, what does that policy or policies include?

Does your library have separate areas for…

• Children and/or teens
• Silent reading/study
• Socialization/group work
• Other purposes

Does your library have a separate computer lab for children and/or teenagers?

• YES
• NO

If YES, why?

Does your library provide unfiltered Internet access?

• YES
• NO

If NO, why?

Do you have restrooms open to the public in your library?

• YES
• NO

If YES, please select all the amenities that you offer in your restrooms:

• wheelchair accessible stalls
• wheelchair accessible sinks
• baby changing stations
• syringe / needle disposal containers
• feminine hygiene products
• special receptacles for used feminine hygiene products
• contraceptives for women
• contraceptives for men
• other

If YES, do you have at least one all-genders bathroom?

• YES
• NO
• I DON’T KNOW

What populations, if any, are banned from using your library’s resources and services? Why?

What barriers do you face in providing open, equitable spaces for all patrons?

EMPLOYMENT, LABOR, ADMINISTRATION

Does the head of your library support diversity / equity / inclusion?

• YES
• NO
• I DON’T KNOW

Does your library have a diversity / equity / inclusion policy?

• YES
• NO
• I DON’T KNOW

If YES, does this policy extend to the hiring of employees who represent diversity of culture, background, race, socioeconomic status, religious and political beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientation or any other attributes?

• YES
• NO

If NO, why not?

Does your library have a sexual harassment policy, or include it in the code of conduct?

• YES
• NO

If NO, why not?

What LGBTIQ+ -related training opportunities as a library employee do you have access to?

What LGBTIQ+ -related training opportunities would you like in your libraries?

If any openly LGBTIQ+ person applied for employment at your library, what policies, procedures and practices would be followed?

Do you currently have any open LGBTIQ+ people working at your library?

• YES
• NO
• I DON’T KNOW

If NO, why not?

Do LGBTIQ+ employees receive equal benefits as cisgender and/or heterosexual employees?

• YES
• NO
• I DON’T KNOW

If NO, why not?

What barriers does your library face in hiring or supporting openly LGBTIQ+ employees?

Did you know that IFLA has an LGBTQ+ Special Interest Group?

• YES
• NO

Is there anything else that you would like to share about LGBTIQ+-related library resources, services, programming, spaces, training, or anything else?

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Country where you work:

Type of library where you work (choose one):

• Public
• Academic
• School Library
• Special
• Government
• Archive
• Other

Title of your position:

(Via IFLA LGBTQ Users Special Interest Group)