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Hey everyone, we have a super cool crossover episode with Lez Hang Out to hold y'all over until we're back from break!

We hope you enjoy!!

Lez Hang Out Show Notes!

Title: 814: Serving Books with Queer Liberation Library
Description:
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Welcome back to Lez Hang Out, the podcast that wants you to read banned books!

This week, Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with academic librarian Amber and nonprofit witch Lindsay of the Queer Liberation Library (@queerliblib). The QLL got its start in 2023 and has since curated a collection of 2,715 unique LGBTQ+ ebooks and audiobooks accessible to anyone in the United States (regardless of zip code) for the low, low cost of absolutely nothing! Once you sign up (for free!), you will be able to check out ebooks and audiobooks from an ever-expanding collection through Libby. They have everything from popular queer adult fiction to LGBTQ+ poetry, manga, and children’s books. In today’s environment of book bans and censorship, projects like the Queer Liberation Library are more important than ever as they provide access to titles that local physical library branches may not be able to stock.

We talk with Amber and Lindsay about how the Queer Liberation Library got its start, going from “7 friends in a trench coat” with a big dream to create a nonprofit to “7 friends in a trench coat” with an extensive, fully functional digital library. We also talk about how the curation process works, the intricacies of licensing restrictions on book borrowing, and all the little behind the scenes things that make the project possible. One of the best things about QLL is the accessibility. While there are already well-established physical libraries dedicated to LGBTQ+ books (and doing an incredible job!), they are not accessible for someone like a queer or trans youth with unsupportive parents or someone living in a more restrictive state where the physical libraries may have less ability to combat queer censorship. Digital collections like the one at QLL are lifesavers in these cases because they can be accessed for free from anywhere in the US, providing a way around any potential local physical barriers to access.

You can join the QLL today and start borrowing books right away by going to their website. And if you do happen to live in a less queer-friendly location and are in any way nervous about being caught browsing the site, the QLL provides an easy exit button that redirects visitors to weather.com in the blink of an eye.

Remember, you can give us your own answers to our Q & Gay on Instagram and follow along on Facebook, TikTok, and BlueSky @lezhangoutpod. Find your fav tol and smol hosts Ellie & Leigh at @elliebrigida and @lshfoster respectively.

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We hope you listened to our author interview with Mary Desch, because Tangled Darkness has dropped and we are here to spill! This psychiatric thriller threw us for a few loops, even prompting Lauren to bring in her girlfriend as a consultant. Our conclusion? Michelle should've just worked in dermatology.

This is our last episode before we go on summer break. Try not to miss us too much, and we encourage you to read Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid for our return! We will drop a couple of surprises for you before we return for Season 3.

If you enjoy our podcast, please support our return by leaving us a review and sharing!

Insta/TT: @lesbianbookclubpod

Email: lesbianbookclubpod@gmail.com

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This week on the pod we’re talking all things American in Paris with friend of the pod, Margaret Vandenburg! As always Margaret brings the most thought provoking answers to our questions! We even talk sister wives, polyamory, and gun control! If you want your spirit lifted and your ideas challenged, this is the episode for you! Sadly we missed Haylie during this interview due to the continued nightmare that is the airline systems but she’ll be back next week! Love you guys!