Quatrefoil Library

Quatrefoil Book Sale today!
11-4

Paperbacks, hardcovers, magazines
Merch! Mugs, buttons, bookmarks art

On July 19th, our last surviving co-founder of the Quatrefoil Library Richard Walton “Dick” Hewetson passed away by medically assisted death at Brookdale Senior Living in San Jose, California. Born near Chicago on March 31, 1930, he grew up in a world where homosexuality was considered illegal, immoral, and an illness.

Dick found in books the power to accept himself as a gay man. He would later share that the book that impacted his life the most was “Society and the Healthy Homosexual” by George Weinberg. “It helped him realize that being gay was normal and that a person was not considered sick or mentally unfit just because of his/her sexual attraction” (Keim 2009). We are indebted to Dick’s commitment and leadership. His work to found the library with David and early tenure as Executive Director transformed and edified the lives of thousands of q***r people who have interacted with the library. Countless community members have found and continue to find refuge, joy, community, healing and pride through the materials they read and connections they make through Quatrefoil Library. He is pictured here visiting the Tretter Collection after returning to Minnesota to celebrate Quatrefoil's 30th Anniversary.

We hope you will take a minute to join us in remembering him and celebrating his ongoing legacy. To find out more about his life and legacy visit our webpage qlibrary.org.

Quatrefoil Library is closed today for the holiday. We look forward to seeing you during our normal business hours tomorrow. Happy New Year!

Today is Give to the Max Day and Quatrefoil Library needs your support to meet our goal! https://www.givemn.org/organization/Quatrefoil-Library
Dear Patrons, Volunteers, & Friends of the Library,
Quatrefoil Library is a special place. For nearly forty years we have served as one of the only free LGBTQ+ lending-libraries in the nation, and we continue to be entirely volunteer-led and run. That’s right – for decades we have championed access to LGBTQ+ literature, materials, and media, all carefully curated and upheld solely through the support and engagement of our community.

Matching Grant for Give to the Max 2024
Thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor, the first $10,000 donated will have a 50% matching grant. That means every dollar you give to Quatrefoil Library will go 50% further to help us support expanding access to community spaces and literature. Every donation, no matter the amount, helps us reach this goal and builds a future where every q***r person can feel seen and connected within their community. Please donate today and share with your friends so we can continue to provide outstanding community connections.

🌈Hey lovely folx---please take a look👀. You might have a book (or a few books) 📚---that need to be returned! We have a book drop next to the back door--if you don't have time to stop in--we get it! ⬇️📚🙏💜

The Quatrefoil Library will be closed TONIGHT, Friday August 23rd, for building maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, we will be open during regular hours this weekend.

Unfortunately, our reading of the “The Body of a Frog: A memoir on Self-Loathing, Self-Love and Transgender Pregnancy” by Arron Sholar tomorrow Sunday August 4th 1:00-3pm has been postponed. We will let you all know when we have a new date and time.

We hope that you will consider attending our next and event in our Summer Memoir series a reading of “Fatherland, Motherland” by Leo Rodriguez Saturday August 10th 2-4pm. Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at the library in the future!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1006396411148544

THIS SUNDAY! Join us for the second event in our Summer Memoir Series in the Library at 1pm!

After undergoing a satisfying gender transition from female to male, the idea of having a biological child seemed far from Aarron Sholar’s thoughts. However, when he met the love of his life, he made the life-altering decision to pause his transition and embark on the journey to conceive a baby. This newfound endeavor triggered a deep period of reflection, doubt, and anxiety.

The Body of a Frog narrates the story of a young girl who grew up despising her own body. Aarron struggled with body image and self-identity, coming out as transgender at the age of seventeen after being diagnosed with gender dysphoria. His journey led him through a transformative gender transition, realigning his body with his male identity. While content in his changed body, in 2021, he met his now-fiancé, and after two years of dating, they made the life-changing decision to start the process of conceiving a child.

In The Body of a Frog: A Memoir on Self-Loathing, Self-Love, and Transgender Pregnancy, Sholar offers a raw, authentic account of his experiences. He navigates the complexities of his body, the transition journey, and the unexpected possibility of pregnancy with a heartfelt and introspective approach. This memoir explores the full spectrum of emotions, from the positive to the challenging, from the clear to the perplexing, shedding light on the intersections of self-identity, love, and the miracle of life.

On Tuesday! July 16th at 7pm, enjoy hearing author Reid Vanderburgh read selections from his memoir: Work in Progress. Reading will be followed by Q&A and social time. This event is the first in Quatrefoil Library's Summer Memoir Series. Check out the event on our page!

This book presents a deeply personal point of view. I leave it to others to write histories of trans people at a more sociological level. Trans people need to tell our stories to each other, to provide this continuity that has been sadly lacking in previous times. Isolation and feelings of being negatively unique are common among many trans people, in part because this historical continuity has been lacking. It’s an overwhelming proposition, writing this autobiography; all the layers co-exist from the beginning, and my story can be told from perspectives as superficial as my outward appearance, to the deepest subconscious thoughts and feelings buried in my mind from my earliest childhood. When one questions gender, one is questioning the bedrock of one’s existence as a human being and the archaeology involved is formidable.

The Summer Memoir Series is here! Come join Quatrefoil Library for our Summer Event Series of authors reading from their memoirs! Readings will be followed by a Q&A with the authors, and a social hour that may include opportunities to purchase signed copies of the books read. See the list of events below and check out the events on our page to see details for each. It is going to be a fun summer, and we hope to see you there!

Work in Progress by Reid Vanderburgh
Tuesday, July 16th, 7:00 pm

The Body of a Frog: A Memoir on Self-Loathing, Self-Love, and Transgender Pregnancy by Aarron Sholar
Sunday, August 4th, 1:00 pm

Fatherland, Motherland by Leo Rodriguez
Saturday, August 10th, 2:00 pm

Wild Things: A Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story by Lynette Raini-Grandell
Saturday, August 17th, 2:00 pm

Following My Spirit Home by Sam Zimmerman
Sunday, September 1st, 2:00 pm

QUATREFOIL PARKING LOT CLOSED!
On Thursday, May 23, 2024, a construction company will begin a seal coating project which will require ALL VEHICLES be removed from the parking lot beginning at 8am and must stay off of the lot until Friday, May 24, 2024 at 4pm. Please use street parking when visiting us during this time, and note that we will be open for normal hours during this process. Thank you, we look forward to seeing you.