The following are some of the subject-specific encyclopedias that can help you find basic information about LGBT topics.
You can find books in the UToledo Library Catalog using either keywords for your topic, or using Subject Headings such as those listed below.
Searching by keyword allows you to find words mentioned in book titles, chapter titles, subjects, and author names. Keyword searches can be combined to find books on two or more topics using AND or OR. Searching by Subject Heading is more precise, but searches for broad topics in the book. See the UToledo Library Catalog Guide for more information about searching.
Some subject headings you may want to start at include the following. Some will have cross references to other related topics, and most will have sub-headings for more specific topics, formats, or geographic areas:
The UToledo Libraries use the Library of Congress Call Number system for organizing our books. Many of the books will be in the HQ sections listed below, but as with any interdisciplinary topic, some may be found throughout the collection.
You can browse the shelves in our libraries in the following call numbers:
HQ74 to HQ74.2 | Bisexuality |
HQ75 to HQ76.8 | Homosexuality. Lesbianism |
HQ77 to HQ77.2 | Transvestism |
HQ77.7 to HQ77.95 | Transexualism [Transgender] |
Don't forget that in addition to all of the books available in the University of Toledo Libraries locations, you also have access to books from any of the more than 85 OhioLINK partner libraries. Whenever you are in the University of Toledo Library Catalog, you can click on the OhioLINK button to perform the same search in libraries across the state. Or you can start your search in the OhioLINK Catalog itself. See here for more information about requesting and borrowing items from OhioLINK libraries.
To search for films & documentaries, you can search using the same subject headings and keywords you might use for books, but limit your results to the material type: DVD or DIGITAL VIDEO. (See our Finding Videos guide for more.)
Here's a search for all of our current LGBT-related video.