Join us in celebrating Pride Month this June, which serves as a time to promote the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community. Sonoma County Library is proud to be a 2023 honoree in this year’s Sonoma County Pride Parade! We welcome you to come see us in the parade on Saturday, June 3, and visit our booth at the festival.
While we celebrate, we recall that Pride began as a protest. As we continue to see increased anti-trans and anti-queer legislation passed across the country, it’s critical that the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community are heard and protected.
Sonoma County Library is committed to freedom of information and providing access to library materials that reflect the diverse and vibrant lives of LGBTQIA+ people, such as local author Maia Kobabe’s (e/em/eir) graphic novel Gender Queer, the number one most banned book two years in a row. Amidst the drastic rise in book bans throughout the U.S., we remain steadfast in protecting the freedom to read. Our library branches are spaces where the queer community will always be welcomed and celebrated, not just during Pride Month, but every day.
Check out the following projects, events, book lists, and resources compiled by librarians at Sonoma County Library to help you celebrate Pride this year!
Here + Queer, Sonoma County
Share your pride. Reclaim your history. Connect with your community.
Here + Queer, Sonoma County collects, archives, and amplifies the histories of Sonoma County’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities. Throughout history, LGBTQIA+ people have fought for equality, representation, and dignity in society.
Here + Queer strives to uncover the rich and dynamic stories of queer culture and activism, documenting the struggles and joys of queer life.
This project accepts digital content in the form of personal narratives, essays, anecdotes, photographs, creative works, audiovisual material, and more. The project actively seeks submissions from all ages and backgrounds, from all time periods in Sonoma County history. Anonymous submissions are supported, as well as submissions in English and Spanish.
Your stories will empower, enrich, and deepen our understanding of queer communities.
Upload & Share Your Experiences
Sonoma County Library Events
Wrapped Rainbows Crafting (Teens & Adults)
Celebrate Pride and enjoy a meditative craft project, choosing from a rainbow of colors for your creation! Advanced registration is encouraged.
Cloverdale Regional Library
Tuesday, June 6, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Northwest Santa Rosa Library
Wednesday, June 21, 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Central Santa Rosa Library
Friday, June 23, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Roseland Regional Library
Wednesday, June 28, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Friday, June 9, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Create Teen! Pride Themed Craft
Roseland Regional Library
Come and craft at Roseland Regional Library every Friday from 4:30-5:30pm! Each week there will be a different craft for teens to do, so bring your creative minds. Snacks and all materials will be provided.
Saturday, June 10, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Guerneville Library LGBTQIA+ Book Club
The Guerneville Regional Library invites you to its new book club for adults that centers on LGBTQ+ voices. Meetings occur on the second Saturday of the month from 11 am-12 pm. Print copies will be available in the branch a month before the discussion.
Tuesday, June 13, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Takeout Book Club: Detransition, Baby
Join us on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM as we discuss a different contemporary novel or work of nonfiction.
This month we'll be discussing Torrey Peters' Detransition, Baby. "[A novel] about three women--transgender and cisgender--whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex..."-- Publisher's description. Print copies of Detransition, Baby will be available in the branch a month before the discussion.
Drag Story Hour
Meet drag king Vera, who will read children’s books and engage in other fun learning activities.
Petaluma Regional Library
Saturday, June 17, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Rincon Valley Regional Library
Saturday, June 17, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Windsor Regional Library
Sunday, June 18, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Central Santa Rosa Library
Sunday, June 18, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Queer Book Club (adults) - Virtual
Wednesday, June 14, 6:00pm
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
Join librarians virtually to discuss books centering on LGBTQ+ voices. Meetings are on the second Wednesday of the month (January-December) from 6-7 pm. For more information please visit: https://sonomalibrary.org/queerbookclub
Physical copies of the book are available (while supplies last).
LGBTQIA+ Pride Family Storytime
Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
Friday, June 23, 10:30am
Friday, June 23th will be a special "Pride Family Storytime," to celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Family storytime includes books, fingerplays, rhymes and songs. For families and caregivers with children, ages 0-6. After the storytime program, families are welcome to socialize, and "stay & play" in the forum room with the library collection of toys and puzzles. No registration is required.
Pride Book Club for Teens (Grades 9-12)
Sebastopol Regional Library
Friday, June 23, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Meet with other teens to discuss books centering LGBTQIA+ voices! Free copies of the books will be available at the reference desk. Registration is encouraged but not required. Drop-ins are welcome. If you didn’t have time to read or finish the month’s book, you are still welcome to attend. Snacks will be provided. This is a safe and inclusive space, and all teens 9th-12th grade are welcome (including allies).
Teen Pride Book Club (Grades 7-12)
Northwest Regional Library
Tuesday, June 27, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Meet with other teens to discuss books centering LGBTQ+ voices! Meetings are in person, at the Northwest Library (the one by Coddingtown Mall), every 4th Tuesday of the month, from 4:30pm-5:30pm. Print copies of that month’s book are available for checkout at Northwest a month before discussion. Snacks will be provided!
No registration required, and drop-ins are welcome! If you didn’t have time to read or finish the month’s book, you are still welcome to hang out with the group! This is a safe and inclusive space, and all teens 7th-12th grade are welcome (including allies)!
Understanding Gender Identity and Supporting Trans Youth
Guerneville Regional Library
Wednesday, July 19, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Join us for a panel discussion on gender identity and understanding the transgender experience. Panelists include transgender youth, adults, and parents of transgender children who will share their perspectives with us. This program will support, educate and inspire anyone who attends.
Library Appearances at Community Events
Saturday, June 3
Sonoma County Pride
Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa
Parade: 11:00am-12:00pm
Festival: 12:00pm-5:00pm
Sonoma County Library is a Pride Honoree in this year’s parade! Come see us in the parade and then visit our booth at the festival. We will have fun giveaways and the Library’s Bibliobus will be stocked full of LGBTQ+ library materials for you to check out!
Saturday, June 10, 2:00-8:00pm
Held on the Town Green on Saturday, June 10, join us for a day of music, food, games and colorful surprises. This family-friendly event celebrating love in Windsor among all people, including the LGBTQIA community, will be FREE and OPEN TO ALL.
Live performances at the Music Fest, fun activities in the KidZone, resources at the Community Fair, food and Drinks at the Street Fair.
Books, Collections, and Resources
Staff created book recommendation lists:
Queer Fiction for Adults
Click here to download the full list as a PDF
Adult Non-Fiction
Click here to download the full list as a PDF
Queer Cinema on DVD
Queer Books for Teens
Click here to download the full list as a PDF
For more queer YA recommendations, check out these additional lists created
by Librarians at Sonoma County Library:
Celebrate Trans and Gender Expansive Stories
Queer Fantasy for Teens
LGBTQIA+ Graphic Novels for YA
Children’s Book Lists
Books for Kids Ages 0-8
Click here to download the full list as a PDF
Books for Kids Ages 8-12
Click here to download the full list as a PDF
Digital Resources
Explore this multiformat list of hoopla offerings curated for Pride Month. There are over 50 items to choose from ranging from audiobooks to movies.
Browse through eBooks & eAudiobooks in our new LGBTQ+ guide, now available in the Libby app! This guide will stay up all year and refreshes with new books as they are added to the collection.
Drawing from their incredible library of LGBTQ+ films, Kanopy has curated a collection for Pride Month. To view these films that cover everything from historical events to pioneers bravely taking a stand against injustice, visit go.kanopy.com/pride
Community Partners
Visit the websites of our fantastic community partners for more events and resources for June and beyond!
LGBTQ Connection - https://www.lgbtqconnection.org/
For more information on their planned pride events, you can visit their calendar here.
Positive Images - https://www.posimages.org/
For more information on their planned pride events, you can visit their calendar here.
North Bay LGBTQI Families - https://nblgbtqifamilies.org/
For more information on their planned pride events, you can visit their calendar here.
Amor Para Todos (APT) - https://aptamorparatodos.weebly.com/
Give Out Day Fundraiser event on June 28 from 2 - 9pm
Please save the date for APT's annual Give Out Day Fundraiser at The Block in Petaluma. All are welcome. Family friendly, DJ, dancing, food, local raffle prizes, games & more!
For more information on their ongoing projects and plans, you can click the following link:
Sonoma Valley LGBTQ+ Seniors - https://www.aginggayfully.net/
In addition to being a co-facilitator of Sonoma Valley LGBTQ+ Seniors, Professor Gary "Buz" Hermes also teaches Aging Gayfully!" through SRJC's Older Adults Program.
The Sonoma County LGBTQI Timeline: 1950s - 2000
Be sure to visit their tent at PRIDE 2023!
Learn about the history of Sonoma County's LGBTQI Community:
- From our first gay bar in the 1950s to our first gay resort in 1978...
- From our first political struggle to the newspapers that informed and entertained us...
- From our battle against AIDS to the very beginnings of our Pride Festival…
- And much, much more!
If you have stories to tell from this time period, they want to hear them!
OUTWatch LGBTQI Film Festival - https://www.outwatchfilmfest.org/
OUTwatch – Wine Country’s LGBTQI Film Festival will be Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11 as part of Sonoma County Pride’s Calendar of Events. After a three-year pandemic pause, OUTwatch returns to showcase three entertaining narrative films and two thought-provoking documentaries. Rialto Cinemas in Sebastopol will again play host to the festival. For more information go to: www.outwatchfilmfest.org.