At Grand Forks Public, we celebrate our differences. We bring people together. We encourage curiosity. All are welcome here.

During Pride Month, we take a moment to recognize the impact LGBTQ+ people have had in the world. Here are four ways we’re celebrating #PrideMonth at the library.

1. Waving the rainbow and wearing the rainbow.

During the month of June, we’ve added the pride flag to our flag pole as a reminder that all kinds of humans are welcome in this safe space. In celebration, staff are wearing different colors of the rainbow every day of the week throughout June, and patrons are more than welcome to join! The dress-up schedule includes:

• Mondays – Pink/Red
• Tuesdays – Orange
• Wednesdays – Yellow
• Thursdays – Green
• Fridays – Blue
• Saturdays – Purple
• Sundays – Rainbow

Plus, if you pay close attention, you’ll notice that our Curbside Pickup flag color changes to match the day.

2. Featuring materials by LGBTQ+ authors and about LGBTQ+ characters.

Check out the new “endcaps” on the end of many aisles, featuring a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction picks from the queer community. Check out our digital collection on OverDrive, Read with Pride. Plus, Kanopy, our free video-streaming service, has a whole collection devoted to Pride Month. Our librarians are continually on the lookout for new and upcoming stories that welcome curiosity, support personal growth, and foster community.

3. Encouraging everyone to “Cultivate empathy” through reading stories.

Why cultivate empathy? Empathy is not an easy thing to teach, but research shows that books can help spark conversations with kids (and adults) about what it means to be compassionate. Reading, fiction or nonfiction, has been said to increase empathy by bringing you into another person’s story. As we learn more about other humans near and far, we grow into better people. These new shirts are available at the library in sizes XS-4X.

4. Recognizing the unique needs of our patrons.

If you wish to share your pronouns, we have pronoun buttons available at the front desk for patrons to take and wear. If you’d rather not, we respect that choice as well. If you have a preferred name that’s different than your legal name, we will make note of it on your record. Mail can be sent to whichever version of your name you prefer. Kindness and inclusion is what it’s all about.

As our Diversity & Inclusion Commitment states:

We believe that our strength comes from the diversity of our employees as well as our community. We celebrate the visible and invisible qualities that make each person unique. We will be a catalyst for change, eliminate barriers, and set a standard of dignity and respect for all.

There are so many ways to be human. Happy Pride Month!

Stay tuned for an upcoming Whatcha Reading Wednesday featuring members of the University of North Dakota Queer & Trans Alliance (QTA). QTA promotes a safe environment for the LGBTQ+ community on campus and in the greater Grand Forks Area through education, advocacy, and community building. Learn more.