Curated by: Neil Richards
Location: Special Collections Reading Room, Third Floor, Murray Building
November 2 marked the launch of the Neil Richards Collection of Sexual and Gender Diversity. Established in January 2010, this new special collection is named in honour of Neil Richards. During his years of library employment and continuing in his retirement, Mr. Richards has developed and helped to acquire many impressive collections of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) interest for libraries and archives at the University of Saskatchewan. These include the records of many gay and lesbian organizations, collections of lesbian and gay pulp literature, magazines and newsletters published in LGBT communities, documentation about theatrical cross-dressing, novels and nonfiction published before the 1969 Stonewall Riots which led to the birth of the modern Gay Rights movement.
The newly established Richards collection, contains unique, rare and/or fragile items (both in print and manuscript forms) and special collections dealing with many aspects of the history and literature of sexual and gender diversity. It complements the Library’s extensive circulating collections on these subjects. The collection is fully catalogued and available to view here.
The collection has grown very rapidly during the past year through the generosity of many donors including, among others, Patrick Ferris, Dr. Gary Hanson, Gens Hellquist, Ian C. Nelson and Neil himself. The collection’s future development depends significantly on in-kind gifts and also financial support from the community. If you own or know of material of interest, either printed or in manuscript form, that needs a permanent home or if you wish to support our collecting activities please contact Special Collections Librarian David Bindle @ (306) 966-6029 or david.bindle@usask.ca.
