Gerber/Hart Library and Archives was founded in 1981 to be a depository for the records of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified (LGBTQ) individuals and organizations, and for other resources bearing upon their lives and experiences in American society. Gerber/Hart Library and Archives has since grown into being the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ circulating library with over 14,000 volumes, 800 periodical titles, and 100 archival collections. Hosting various programs and events that support its beliefs that knowledge is the key to dispelling homophobia and that affirming information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons is critical to fostering pride and self confidence, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives seeks to not only preserve and protect items of LGBT individuals and organizations, but to be a conduit for change. Recently relocated in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives serves the research and recreational reading needs of the Chicago metro area and the Midwest, and through participation in the Interlibrary Loan program, people throughout the U.S.

MISSION

Gerber/Hart Library and Archives believes that knowledge is the key to dispelling homophobia. A lesbian and gay library, archives, and cultural center, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives is dedicated to meeting the information needs of its unique community in a safe atmosphere that promotes research, exploration, and discovery.

As a library, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives is committed to acquiring, preserving, and disseminating materials that embody the culture and history of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people.

As an archives, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives is the repository for the records, papers, and other realia of lesbian and gay life, focusing primarily in the Chicago metropolitan area and the Midwest.

As a cultural center, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives makes its collection active and accessible to the public through displays, talks and lectures, workshops and classes, as well as performance, video, and film.

Gerber/Hart Library and Archives’s collection and programming reflect the diversity and rich history of the lesbian and gay community. A permanent institution, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives is committed to the sound management of its resources.

BYLAWS

Copies of our current bylaws are available upon request at info@gerberhart.org.