LibGuides: BPLGBTQ+: Books & Research

Recommended Titles

Excellent book and film lists curated by BPL librarians -- click the image to see great titles from our collection!

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These databases and digital collections are free to access with your library card and can help you discover information about LGBTQ topics!

A brief list of modern and historical* search terms to try for online resources:

*Please be mindful that some historical terms may be inaccurate or offensive when used in the present day.

AIDS/Brooklyn exhibition
This collection includes oral histories collected for the AIDS/Brooklyn exhibition, undertaken by the Brooklyn Historical Society in the early 1990s. The project was developed to document the impact of the AIDS epidemic on Brooklyn communities.

Black Women Writers
Collects fiction, poetry and essays by black women published in Africa and the Americas from the 1700s to the present.
Gale OneFile: Gender Studies
Journals from the New York State Online Virtual Library database collection related to gender and sexuality in culture and society. Research information on women's studies, gender identity and more.

This resource is free and accessible from anywhere in New York state but requires a library card if outside of NY.
JSTOR
JSTOR offers high-resolution, scanned images of journals, books, and primary sources as they were originally designed, printed, and illustrated. The material available spans many disciplines in the arts, sciences, and humanities.

This resource can only be accessed at Central Library.
Novelist Plus
Find good fiction or nonfiction books and audiobooks. This online resource includes reading recommendations from librarians. Search for books and booklists by genre, content, identity, time period, and more.
Project Muse
Humanities and social science content. Complete, full-text versions of scholarly journals and books from many of the world's leading university presses and scholarly societies.

When browsing or searching "All Muse", select "Only Content I have access to" to find subscription content.

Some amazing resources from around the web!

Digital Transgender Archive (DTA)
The DTA provides access to trans history for academics and independent researchers alike in order to foster education and dialog concerning trans history.
glbtq archives
A collection of PDFs about LGBTQ+ people in arts, literature, social sciences, and more.
Homosaurus
An international linked data vocabulary of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) terms enhancing the discoverability of LGBTQ resources in library catalogues.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Home to the world’s largest collection of materials by and about Lesbians and their communities.
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art
A home for LGBTQIA+ artists, scholars, activists and allies, and discourse on art and queerness.
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project
Documents the historic places connected to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in New York City, from the 17th century to the year 2000.