What to do with your collection of gay lit

[+ Just Sayin]

for those of us of a certain age, many of us start to think of finding a good home for our books and related materials; I have been inspired by Margareta Magnusson's "Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning"; I could just give my gay lit (and related materials) to our local friends of the library group, but I have been referred to a bookstore in San Francisco that buys and sells vintage gay materials: https://www.ebay.com/usr/autoeroticasf/   does anyone have any other ideas?

[+ WilliamM]

Keep Death in Venice. The author won a Noble Prize in Literature.

Keep  Marcel Proust also.  classy literature as well.

Edited February 4, 2023 by WilliamM

[misterhumphries]

I remember smuggling the Gordon Merrick series of novels into the house when I was a teenager. And The Front Runner, and Dancer from the Dance. It seemed the epitome of forbidden reading. Wish I'd kept the books. But after I read them, I always destroyed the evidence.

[prof]

7 minutes ago, misterhumphries said:

I remember smuggling the Gordon Merrick series of novels into the house when I was a teenager. And The Front Runner, and Dancer from the Dance. It seemed the epitome of forbidden reading. Wish I'd kept the books. But after I read them, I always destroyed the evidence.

Your posting could go into my memoirs, verbatim. I remember stumbling across The Front Runner in a bookstore and being stunned about how many "good parts" I discovered just flipping through it. 

[+ poolboy48220]

I read Gordon Merrick's "An Idol for Others" in the department store's book section while Mom and the sisters shopped for clothes.  Years later after I'd moved out on my own, I finally bought copies of a lot of his books, I still have them.

[+ Charlie]

Years ago I gave a collection of magazines, plus some documents related to early gay organizations in which I was active, to a gay archive in Philadelphia, but I don't remember what it was called or whether it still exists. If there is a gay social organization in your area, they may have a library that would take things like the old Gordon Merrick books (of which they probably already have lots of copies). I don't know what to do with old porn tapes or discs.

[+ WilliamM]

6 hours ago, Charlie said:

Years ago I gave a collection of magazines, plus some documents related to early gay organizations in which I was active, to a gay archive in Philadelphia, but I don't remember what it was called or whether it still exists. If there is a gay social organization in your area, they may have a library that would take things like the old Gordon Merrick books (of which they probably already have lots of copies). I don't know what to do with old porn tapes or discs.

Did you know Bill Way?

[+ Charlie]

1 hour ago, WilliamM said:

Did you know Bill Way?

When we were both young, but only a casual acquaintance.

[+ WilliamM]

1 minute ago, Charlie said:

When we were both young, but only a casual acquaintance.

It was a significant loss when he died of AIDS

[+ WilliamM]

20 hours ago, Charlie said:

When we were both young, but only a casual acquaintance.

Looking back all of Bill Way's jobs required a strong political connection in Philadelphia and/or Harrisburg

Sad

Even worked for the Philadelphia Parking Authority

 

[BuffaloKyle]

You could also visit or call your local pride center if you have one for ideas for your materials.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

I have sold some of my paperpack books - mostly gay mystery, but some erotica,  at Half Priced Books.  I was surprised as many of those books received a better offer than similar straight mysteries that I enjoy reading.

[kyleham]

I have given many in my collection to my younger friends. Thai generation has taken so much for granted. They were not a live during the 80's when the Aids pandemic was going on and take sex and all for granted now that there's PREP, etc. I have tried to educate them on the heroes in our community who fought at Steonewall. etc. They all have been very respective and appreciative

[+ RyanDean]

I will say that a number of gay lit titles from the 1970s, 1980s and even the 1990s have become quite difficult to find -- and thus can command high prices via online booksellers. (This goes as well for less "literary" texts dedicated from the 1940s onward...)

Donating to your local library sale or community center can be worth trying but, if you've got the time/inclination, listing the titles online might help to guarantee that they land in hands that truly value them.

[skynyc]

This thread made me laugh...had to go find these. Bought The Lord Won't Mind when I was in sixth grade. Timing was perfect, as it was the year we had wood shop in school. After making the requisite key rack, when most of the other boys...the girls had to take cooking...were making step stools, I made myself a lockbox. It was just large enough for a magazine...I'd swiped a Playgirl at one point. I went to the hardware store and bought hinges, a hasp, and a padlock. When I brought it home, my mother took one look, rolled her eyes, and said "Boys!" And it was never mentioned again. But it got pretty full before I finished High School. 

 

[Njguy2]

Back in 2020 I did some cleaning out of things when we were restricted from traveling. Searched on the web and found several places which would take Gay fiction etc.  None were close to me to do a drop-off but found one that was seeking books at the time - https://lgbtsewi.org/about/  I think I shipped out about 5-6 boxes to them.   There are other organizations I found including -- LGBT Books for Prisoners, Hope in A Box, Univ of Wisconsin Milwaukee LGBTQ+ Resource center, and there are many more out there locally and nationally, simple google search.  Just talk with them as to what they accept and you will at least know someone who would enjoy the book will get to read them.  

[+ Just Sayin]

2 hours ago, Njguy2 said:

Back in 2020 I did some cleaning out of things when we were restricted from traveling. Searched on the web and found several places which would take Gay fiction etc.  None were close to me to do a drop-off but found one that was seeking books at the time - https://lgbtsewi.org/about/  I think I shipped out about 5-6 boxes to them.   There are other organizations I found including -- LGBT Books for Prisoners, Hope in A Box, Univ of Wisconsin Milwaukee LGBTQ+ Resource center, and there are many more out there locally and nationally, simple google search.  Just talk with them as to what they accept and you will at least know someone who would enjoy the book will get to read them.  

@Njguy2, that's wonderful; thank you!