LGBT Teen Book Display in the Library

Happy June and Happy Gay Pride Month. What a better time to create a display celebrating teen LGBT fiction? I had two goals in mind when designing this display:
1) Introduce teens of all sexualities to well-written, entertaining, and positive representations of LGBT characters.
2) Draw attention to the fact that the library is a supportive, inclusive space for everyone.

At first my instinct was to go big, bright, and fabulous – cover the window with rainbow streamers, tape rainbow hearts on everything, give away buttons featuring celebrity LGBT characters, and post a huge sign saying “LGBTQ Love,” put glitter on stuff. While this would certainly be an attention grabbing way to show the inclusiveness of the library, I realized that it may be a turn off to teens who are not yet “out.” The last thing I wanted was for teens to avoid the display for fear of being seen there.

Instead I turned the streamers into a background rainbow, kept the hearts, made rainbow buttons, added a small display description, put up a “You belong at your library” and “We need diverse books” sign, and changed the main wording to “Inclusive Love.” Less aggressive, but still totally fab. There are so many amazing books with positive representations of LGBT characters in YA lit these days. Here are a few that I included from my branch:

LGBT Teen Book List

Far from you by Tess Sharpe
If you could be mine by Sara Farizan
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
One in every crowd : stories by Ivan E. Coyote
Promposal by Rhonda Helms
Hold me closer : the Tiny Cooper story : a musical in novel form (or, a novel in musical form) by David Levithan
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Fan Art by Sarah Tregay
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Astounding X-Men: Northstar by Marjorie Lui

Display Downloads

Want to make your own LGBTQ Teen Book Display? Feel free to use these downloadable resources. Let me know what worked for you, and what books you included.