Indy Pride, Inc. and The Indianapolis Public Library Announce Partnership for LGBTQ+ Collection
November 9, 2018
November 2018–Indy Pride, Inc. is proud to announce a partnership with The Indianapolis Public Library to integrate the Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives into Central Library as well as create a permanent LGBTQ+ Exhibit. The Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives is home to over 7,000 titles specific to the LGBTQ+ Community. The Library and Archive is named after Chris Gonzalez, the community activist and founder of Indiana Youth Group who passed away in 1994. For over 30 years, the collection has been curated by Michael Bohr, who retired from this position in the summer of 2018. Upon much community discussion, it was determined the future of the Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives should reside at Central Library.
Over the course of the next year, materials from the collection will be cataloged and integrated into Central Library with the ability to search for LGBTQ+ materials, designated labels, and a permanent display case in the Simon Reading Room.
Upon receiving this collection, it will become one of the largest LGBTQ+ collections of a public library in the United States.
It is the hope and goal of both The Indianapolis Public Library and Indy Pride, Inc. that this permanent exhibit and incorporation of these materials will lead to broader access to the stories and insights into the LGBTQ+ Community. By early fall, 2019, the Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives will be fully integrated into Central Library.
For media requests for Indy Pride, Inc., please contact Chris Handberg, [email protected] 317.437.0785.
Indy Pride, Inc. produces events which educate, honor our history, and celebrate the diversity of the Indianapolis Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community. We exist to unite and serve our members and the LGBTQ+ community of Central Indiana through leadership development, educational programs, and community events which achieve inclusivity, equality, strong community connections, and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.
