Hours
The James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center is an entry point to the Library’s rich collections documenting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual and allied histories and cultures, with a special focus on the San Francisco Bay Area. Its holdings include circulating and reference items as well as archival materials accessible in-person at the San Francisco History Center or online at SFPL's Digital Collections website, digitalsf.org.
The Hormel Center Reading Room on the 3rd floor of the Main Library serves as the Center’s home base and features a curated selection of circulating books, journals and magazines. Created over 30 years ago through thousands of community contributions and a generous gift from James C. Hormel, the first openly gay U.S. ambassador, the room reflects the imagination, memory and history of the local LGBTQIA+ community. Its hand‑painted ceiling mural, wood‑paneled walls and curved shelves—showcasing 1,000 titles from a collection of more than 11,000—highlight the care our community brings to preserving and celebrating queer stories.
The Center regularly partners with community organizations, researchers, educators, artists and other library departments to present a rich array of public programs and exhibitions. Please see the library's Exhibitions & Programs guidelines if you are interested in collaborating with the Hormel Center.
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