report from the Library

Progress in the field of the sexual variant is dependent, more than is usually realized, on past knowledge. The experience gained thereby has been accumulating for many years and much of it has been preserved in private personal libraries.

These libraries, for the most part, are eventually deeded to public and University collections and in this way, where those portions on sex for reasons of cenorship are not removed, important contributions are made to the general fund of knowledge in this field.

Unfortunately, the question of censorship is raised frequently in all libraries. -to the extent that a copy of "Quatrefoil" cannot be found in the main branch of the Los Angeles Public Library today.

Except where literature on sex exists in special libraries, that is, medical, law, libraries in conjunction with mental hygiene clinics such as the Langley Porter Clinic Library in San Francisco, or libraries in connection with particular research in the field like that being conducted by Dr. Kinsey-the collections are horribly inadequate and/or badly catalogued. Even the exceptions are found to be limited-fiction suffering the most.

With remarkable acquisitions coming in from various sources almost from ONE's beginning-as gifts from our readers, as purchases, etc.,—ONE.Inc., found itself with a steadily growing library covering most matters of sex and taking the form of manuscripts, books (many in other tongues, privately printed, and homemade), periodicals (popular, scientific), and clippings. Although the amount of material in hand is still small, the library shows a substantial breadth of topic in the field with special emphasis placed on the Homosexual.

The year 1955 will at last see the organization of much of this material. Some of the items have already gone into the Archives because they were found to be rare or of unusual nature. An example of such a title is "The Gay Girls Guide to the U. S. and the Western World," (privately printed), and some odd items from Japan, along with one copy each of John Addington Symond's "Problems in Greek Ethics" and "Problems in Modern Ethics"; all were gifts.

At present, a three-member staff occupies itself with cataloguing, carding, clipping, and building an extensive bibliography. The work is proceeding with great care and certainty. The plan is to build as complete and exhaustive a library as possible which will include every aspect of sex study.

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