Quatrefoil Library

Quatrefoil Library
The 'Q' in Quatrefoil is big and purple; the rest of the word—which is rendered in black, serif type—is only about one-sixth the height of the 'Q'. It extends to the right; its baseline is above the midline of the 'Q'. The word 'Library' in sans serif is also to the right of the Q, and beneath the rest of the word 'Quatrefoil'. It is in the same purple sans-serif type as the capital 'Q', but less than half the height.
Quatrefoil Library as seen from the sidewalk: the rails of a wheelchair ramp wind up toward a brick building. A sign on the wall reads "Quatrefoil Library". Stenciled on the windows is the abbreviation "Q Library".
Quatrefoil Library as seen from the pavement in front of the building.
Map
44°56′54.7″N 93°15′24.1″W / 44.948528°N 93.256694°W / 44.948528; -93.256694
Location1220 East Lake Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
TypeSpecial library
ScopeLGBT
Established1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Branches1
Collection
Items collectedBooks, magazines, DVDs, VHS tapes
Size15,000+ books
7,000+ DVDs[1]
Access and use
Access requirementsLibrary membership
Members400+[1]
Other information
Websiteqlibrary.org

Quatrefoil Library is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) non-profit[2] library and community center for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.[3] It is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where it was founded by David Irwin and Dick Hewetson in 1983.[4] It is the second LGBT lending library in the United States,[5] and the oldest such library in the Upper Midwest.[6] In the beginning, it was not only an educational resource center but also a safe space for LGBT people. The library houses over 15,000 books,[1] 7,000 DVDs, a collection of first editions and rare books,[7] and books in braille.[4] It hosts poetry readings, panel discussions, book launches, and other events, open to all.

The library celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b c "Become a Member". Quatrefoil Library. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  2. ^ "Charity Search Results: Quatrefoil Library". The Office of Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  3. ^ "Quatrefoil: Gay/Lesbian Library". Library Journal. 119: 25. 1986. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Keim 2008, p. viii.
  5. ^ Van Cleve 2012, p. 216.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Collins was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Larsen 2017, p. 172-3.
  8. ^ Frame, Robert (2016). "In and Out: Thirty Years At the Quatrefoil Library". Hennepin History. 75 (2): 12. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Sturdevant, A. (April 17, 2014). "LGBT history is lovingly preserved at Quatrefoil Library on Lake Street". MinnPost. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.