Gay Men’s Book Clubs versus Wisconsin’s Public Libraries: Political Perceptions in the Absence of Dialogue

Abstract

Because of an absence of dialogue, a tense relationship appears to exist between Wisconsin’s gay men’s book discussion groups and their local public libraries. Public library directors express interest in accommodating these groups if approached but face budget restrictions and local communities that may oppose these gatherings; gay men’s book clubs prefer meeting in private homes and other openly gay‐friendly environments largely because of the conservatism of cultural institutions in their collective memories. This qualitative study argues that, with consistent dialogues, gay discussion groups can help public libraries achieve their missions of diversifying their patrons, collections, and services, and that public libraries can assist gay communities with establishing themselves in the city or county’s history by hosting visible public discussions of gay texts as markers of an entire community’s cultural heritage.