Booked Solid: You’re overdue to meet these LGBTQ+ BIPOC librarians doing the work in Ohio

Libraries are places to find books, and librarians are often there to help guide that process. But for LGBTQ+ librarians of color, the work can encompass much more: preserving history, connecting people with resources and helping communities find information that reflects their lives.

In this Q&A with The Buckeye Flame, BIPOC LGBTQ+ librarians Amia Brown and Lisa Sanchez of Cleveland and Lajmar Anderson of Dayton share their own perspectives on librarianship, shaped by their experiences as LGBTQ+ people of color and their relationships with libraries.

Cleveland poet and Buckeye Flame reporting fellow Siaara Freeman talks to Anderson, Sanchez and Brown about what brought them to the profession, the books and authors they return to and the fictional characters they see themselves in.

Lajmar Anderson (he/they) is a queer, African American/Black-biracial librarian working in an academic library in Dayton. In this interview, he discusses information, libraries and magical realism.

The Buckeye Flame: What made you want to become a librarian?

Anderson: There are several reasons. A primary one is that I’ve always been fascinated with the information-seeking habits of people. I’ve been an avid library user since I was a child myself and was always fascinated with the amount of knowledge librarians seemed to possess. Even if they didn’t know a lot about a topic I was interested in, they could point me in the direction of it.

Additionally, while finishing undergrad and working full time at my first university library, I had a mentor who encouraged me to enter the field.

The Buckeye Flame: What is your favorite literary genre?

Anderson: Magical realism.

The Buckeye Flame: Who are three authors would you suggest to readers?

Anderson: Jewell Parker Rhodes, Toni Morrison and Terry Pratchett.

The Buckeye Flame: What three books would you suggest?

Anderson: “The Prophets” by Robert Jones Jr.; “The Once and Future Witches” by Alix Harrow; and “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

The Buckeye Flame: Whose biography would you most like to read?

Anderson: William Dorsey Swan.

The Buckeye Flame: What fictional character do you most identify with, and why?

Anderson: This seems to change with me. Currently, I aspire to be like Granny Weatherwax from “Discworld”: practical, competent, with a side of wit and a little snark.

Lisa Sanchez (they/them/theirs) is a queer, white and Latino librarian at Cleveland Public Library. In this interview with The Buckeye Flame, they discuss libraries, cultural heritage and horror.

The Buckeye Flame: What made you want to become a librarian?

Lisa Sanchez: Preserving cultural heritage and historic collections for community access.

The Buckeye Flame: What is your favorite literary genre?

Sanchez: Horror.

The Buckeye Flame: Who are three authors would you suggest to readers?

Sanchez: Alison Rumfitt, Ibram X. Kendi and John Steinbeck.

The Buckeye Flame: What three books would you suggest?

Sanchez: “Inventing Latinos” by Laura Gómez, “Nevada” by Imogen Binnie and “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair.

Amia Brown (she/her) is a bisexual Black librarian at Cuyahoga County Public Library in  Northeast Ohio. In this interview, she talks about books, belonging and becoming a librarian.

The Buckeye Flame: What made you want to become a librarian?

Amia Brown: I’ve always been a big reader. As a kid, my mom would take us to the library weekly for our next big stack of books. I love helping people find the information they need, whether that is social service help or their next great read!

The Buckeye Flame: What kinds of books do you most enjoy?

Brown: I am a genre fiction girlie. I would have to say my top two are mystery/thriller and romance. But I will read a little of everything: science fiction and fantasy, literary fiction, poetry, history and more.

The Buckeye Flame: Who are three authors you would recommend to readers?

Brown: S.A. Cosby, Christina Dotson and Emily Austin.

The Buckeye Flame: What are three books you would recommend?

Brown: “Lavash at First Sight” by Talen Voskuni, “Listen to Your Sister” by Neena Viel and “Hood Feminism” by Mikki Kendall.

The Buckeye Flame: Whose biography would you most like to read?

Brown: I can’t just pick one person, so I will say I’d love to read a collection of biographical essays about women in history who may have been generally overlooked. I love reading stories about everyday people at different points in time.

The Buckeye Flame: What fictional character do you most identify with, and why?

Brown: Growing up, I wanted desperately to be Jo March from “Little Women.” She stands up for herself, knows what she wants and is a writer and lover of books. I think ending up becoming a librarian could be linked to my love of Jo. 🔥

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