Out at the Library: Celebrating the James C. Hormel Collection

Out at the Library celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Hormel Center in 2005. The project highlighted the Library's collection and offered a rare look into what an archive is and how it ensures the legacy of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. From boots worn by cross-dressing Civil War surgeon Dr. Mary Walker to classic LGBT pulp paperbacks to the 1978 appointment book of assassinated City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the objects and stories offer compelling views of remarkable and ordinary lives. In conjunction with the exhibition Out at the Library: Celebrating the James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center, the San Francisco Public Library published a full-color catalogue and an online component. The original exhibition was installed in three separate venues in San Francisco and also traveled to libraries and community centers in 2006.