Using Awards Lists As a RA Tool: Lambda Literary Awards Edition

This is part of my ongoing series on using Awards Lists as a RA tool. Click here for all posts in the series in reverse chronological order. Click here for the first post which outlines the details how to use awards lists as a RA tool.

The Lambda Literary Foundation has announced their 2020 finalists. You can use this link to see the full list. 

Of course, use the links in the first paragraph of this post to see all of the specific ways in which you can use this list to help you help readers in a variety of ways, but in particular I have always been a big fan of the Lambda Literary lists because they break everything up into specific LGBTQ categories.

The categories, based on not only the focus being Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered, etc... but also by genres and formats. There are 24 categories! And every single on of them can be used to help readers, build collections, and most importantly, make displays-- especially displays on critically acclaimed, for example, mysteries, to make sure you're displays are inclusive and. include the LGTBQ perspective within the genre.

I have long been a fan of this award because it was the best way for me to know what is considered the top of LGBTQ literature, in all of its facets. I have learned much from the award and from reading the finalists. These titles have been a window for me, a heterosexual, cis woman, into the lives of my friends, family, and community who identify along the LGTBQ spectrum.

That reminds me, don't forget to use the backlist of finalists to help fill out your collections, displays, and suggestions to patrons. They have a very easy to use database of previous winners here.

Finally, I hate to have to say this, but I know from experience that it needs to be said: LGTBQ is NOT a genre it is a frame for the story and/or an identity of the creators. Saying LGBTQ is a genre would be like saying every book set in Illinois is a genre. That sounds stupid, right? Of course it does. LGBTQ is the same. Both are an element that frames the work, but has nothing to do with its genre. This frame might be a huge appeal factor for the reader in question, but you still have to consider the other ways in which the story is told.