Hello all! Got a great response after the fact that may offer a good perspective for those were looking:

Hi, Cindy--

I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier to your question about LGBT magazines. We used to subscribe to "Out" but even when we put it in a protective cover it was stolen on a regular basis. We didn't know if it was being taken by someone who didn't want it in the library or if it was an individual who didn't want to be seen checking it out. We have kept current editions of other vulnerable magazines at the reference desk, but we definitely didn't want to single out people who were looking for "Out" but didn't feel comfortable asking for it. At any rate, we eventually decided it didn't make sense to pay for a magazine that only one person was seeing. Fortunately, we can offer it to our patrons through our Zinio subscription, but I hope that someday our library will figure out a security system that doesn't cause carpal tunnel issues for our Circ staff and helps preserve our collection. Then maybe we can offer titles like "Out" again. We don't have the same problem with "The Advocate."

Regards,

Maureen Maloney

Reference Librarian
Duluth Public Library

520 W. Superior St.
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 730-4206
please note new e-mail address:
mmaloney@duluthmn.gov

For more information, please call 517-629-3993 or visit us at 501 S. Superior Street in downtown Albion. Albion District Library: Transforming Minds, Changing Lives. Online at www.albionlibrary.org, or find us on Facebook!

Cynthia Stanczak

Interim Co-Director
Head of Adult & Teen Services
Albion District Library
501 S. Superior St.
Albion, MI 49224
(517) 629-3993

On Thu, Sep 25, 2014 at 4:53 PM, Stanczak, Cindy <cstanczak@albionlibrary.org> wrote:

Thank you to everyone who responded. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the responses were of the "please share what you find out" type. I only heard from one other library. They also have Out Magazine and the Advocate, they're packaged together through WT Cox, and have only recently added them in digital form. They don't yet have any data to share.

As of us, we decided to keep it, understanding that given the topic, circulation data may be far lower than the number of patrons who actually read it in house. I suspect that there are many other who simply do not feel comfortable sliding it across the counter for another person to check it out for them.

Thank you again for all your responses, and I hope this helps you in your decision-making.

For more information, please call 517-629-3993 or visit us at 501 S. Superior Street in downtown Albion. Albion District Library: Transforming Minds, Changing Lives. Online at www.albionlibrary.org, or find us on Facebook!

Cynthia Stanczak
Interim Co-Director
Head of Adult & Teen Services
Albion District Library
501 S. Superior St.
Albion, MI 49224
(517) 629-3993