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LGBTQ+ Open Resources

A Guide to Openly Accessible Resources

Archives (United States)

AIDS Education Posters Collection - University of Rochester
The site showcases digital reproductions of the HIV/AIDS Education Posters collection, donated to the University of Rochester by Dr. Edward C. Atwater. Dr. Atwater, a visionary collector and medical historian, recognized the historical significance of these posters during the AIDS crisis and sought to preserve them for scholarly study. This extensive collection, comprising over 8000 posters and related materials, offers insights into the global impact of HIV/AIDS and spans over 130 countries and 75 languages. Following Dr. Atwater's passing in 2019, efforts to expand and enhance the collection continue, with the website also serving as a platform for student projects and user contributions to improve metadata and translations.

Arizona Queer Archives
http://azqueerarchives.org/

Willa Cather Archive
https://cather.unl.edu/

Cherry Grove (New York) Archives Collection
This collection is dedicated to preserving the social, political, and cultural history of the LGBTQ(S) community of Cherry Grove, Fire Island, NY. The CGAC collects and shares this history by protecting and storing its historical artifacts, including documents, photographs, and film.

Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies
https://www.lib.umn.edu/collections/special/tretter
The largest LGBTQ-specific archival repository in the upper Midwest- University of Minnesota Libraries – includes the Transgender Oral History Project.

Gay Ohio History Initiative 
https://gohi.org/

Gerber/Hart Library and Archives: Midwest LGBTQ History & Culture
One of the largest LGBTQ+ libraries & archives in the world. Founded in 1981 and located in Chicago, it is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and making accessible the LGBTQ+ history and culture of Chicago and the Midwest.

Gay Peoples Union Collection
https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGPU

Interference Archive 
https://interferencearchive.org/

Internet Archive
https://www.archive-it.org/explore?q=gays&page=1&show=Collections

June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives
Note: both physical and digital collections (not 100% digital)

Kinsey Institute Collections
https://kinseyinstitute.org/collections/arcmahival/homosexuality-polyamory-transgender-asia-sexuality-and-erotica-collections.php

LGBT Digital Collections at the New York Public Library
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/lgbt-materials-in-the-new-york-public-library#/?tab=about

LGBTQ Religious Archives Network
This is both a consulting group/organization AND an archive.

National Museum of American History
https://americanhistory.si.edu/topics/lgbtq-history

Oregon State University Queer Archives: LGBTQ+ Archival Repositories
https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/osqa/lgbtq-archives

Rainbow History Project
Washington DC based. Print, digital, and oral history archives.

San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Program guides dating back to 1977.

San Francisco Public Library James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center
https://sfpl.org/locations/main-library/james-c-hormel-lgbtqia-center-3rd-floor

Stonewall National Museum and Archives
http://www.stonewallnationalmuseum.org 

University of Florida LGBTQ+ Collection
https://pkyonge.uflib.ufl.edu/2022/02/16/the-florida-lgbtq-collection/

University of South Florida LGBTQ+ Collections
https://lib.usf.edu/special-collections/tampa/lgbt-collections  and  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ca79acfb94194daba9d67dc741b01073
The USF Libraries’ - Tampa Special Collections is home to more than two dozen archival collections and thousands of books and periodicals. The department is actively growing these areas and is determined to expand its collection of historically significant lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer LGBTQ+ materials, both in monographic and archival formats. The collections also include many artifacts and ephemera that provide fascinating cultural snapshots.

International Archives

ArQuives Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives
https://arquives.ca/ 

Australian Queer Archives
https://queerarchives.org.au/

Bishopsgate Institute (UK) LGBTQIA Archives
https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/our-lgbtqia-archives-online

British Library LGBTQ Histories
https://www.bl.uk/lgbtq-histories

CIRN: GAY FREEDOM MOVEMENT ARCHIVES
https://dloc.com/collections/icirngfm

IHLIA Collections
https://ihlia.nl/collectie
IHLIA is the heritage organization in the field of LGBTI* in the Netherlands and has the largest LGBTI collection in Europe

Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA)
http://www.lagna.org.uk

Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand - Links to Gay and Lesbian Archives (LAGANZ)
https://www.laganz.org.nz/links/index.html#gaylesbianarchives 

LSE Hall-Carpenter Archives (Britain)
https://www.lse.ac.uk/library/collection-highlights/lgbt-collections

National Archives (UK)
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/gay-lesbian-history

Norwegian Archive for Queer History
https://skeivtarkiv.no/en

Passions Uncovered: Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Pulps University of Saskatchewan
https://library.usask.ca/srsd/pulps/index.php

Schwules Museum Library and Archive
https://www.schwulesmuseum.de/bibliothek-archiv/?lang=en

South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA0
https://www.saada.org/browse/theme/gender-sexuality

Transgender Archives
https://www.uvic.ca/transgenderarchives/

Two Spirit Archives (University of Winnipeg)
https://cdm15931.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/two-spirit/search/

University of Florida Home Page

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