Managing and Developing a LGBT+ Collection: The Case of the Nélida Piñon Library at Cervantes Institute in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This article aims to present the steps in the management of LGBT+ Collection of the Nélida Piñon Library of Cervantes Institute in Rio de Janeiro. One of the guidelines of the Collection Development Policy of the Cervantes Institute Libraries Network is to offer a representative, current and balanced vision of the Spanish speaking countries cultural reality. Following this guideline, the library of Cervantes Institute in Rio de Janeiro began to develop a collection specialised in LGBT+ culture and literature to meet the needs of its users, since Spain is one of the forerunner countries in the approval of same-sex marriage (2005), along with the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. It has progressive legislation on the rights of the LGBT+ community, such as homoparental adoption or official gender status change. In cultural terms, both Spanish cinema and literature reinforce and highlight references to LGBT+ culture in Spain. To contrast with the Spanish reality, the collection also brings together works on LGBT+ culture in Hispanic American Countries. According to the president of Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, the institution's mission is not only to spread Spanish vocabulary and culture, but also to show the best face of Spain around the world. And that Cervantes Institute wants its venues to be "spheres of freedom" in countries where there are no LGTB+ rights. Started in 2005, the collection has been expanded over time, currently bringing together around 300 documents, including books and videos. The library seeks to acquire works that deals with the different groups of the LGBT+ community and has documents on children's and young people's literature, gender studies and Queer theory, lesbian, transvestite, transsexual, bisexual and transgender issues, biographies and the history of homosexuality in Spain and Latin America. The library promotes and organises activities focused on LGBT+ culture, such as the presentation of the short film "The inevitable story of Letícia Diniz" by Marcelo Pedreira about the situation of transvestites in Brazil, supported the Rio de Janeiro International Gender and Sexuality Festival up to 2019. It is noted that the collection is a reference for researchers and scholars of LGBT+ culture in the Hispanic Universe. Therefore, it meets the purposes of the institution. This is a report of the experience with a qualitative focus on the development of specialised collections.

Keywords: Collection development; Collection management; LGBT+; Queer theory; Nélida Piñon Library.