Friday, November 02, 2007

Spotlight on the Collection: The Gene Woodling Collection of Gay Fiction



The Gene Woodling Collection of Gay Fiction consists of over 1,200 volumes focused on the male homosexual experience. Works of fiction from 1900 up to the present time are included in this unique collection. Presses seminal to the gay rights movement such as Alyson, Fortune (London), Knight's Press, Gay Men's Press (London), Gay Sunshine, and Grove Press form the heart of the collection. Also included are poetry and non-fiction by and about both gay and lesbian authors and experiences.

The Woodling collection has been donated to Oberlin College Library by Mr. Gene Woodling of Akron, Ohio. Mr. Woodling, a Stonewall survivor whose collecting interests span many areas within the arts, began collecting materials relating to gay fiction in the 1950's. The initial donation of books arrived in April 1990, and the collection continues to grow. In addition to book materials, Mr. Woodling will soon be donating a collection of over 600 films on gay themes. Many of the titles in the Woodling collection are held nowhere else in Ohio, and in relatively few libraries nationwide. Gene Woodling's great wish for this unique collection is that it be well known and used by the Oberlin community.

Selected titles are now on display outside Azariah's Cafe.

To see a complete list of titles in the Woodling Collection, which are intershelved throughout the Main Library, simply do an OBIS search for Woodling as keyword.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would like to know if the Gene Woodling you are referring to as donating a collection of gay fiction is the same Gene Woodling born in Akron Ohio and was a famous baseball player in the 50's and Died On: 06-02-2001
Died In: Barberton, Ohio ?
Please email at jaha105@tampabay.rr.com
Thank you.

11:12 PM  
Blogger Casey said...

Gene is Eugene "Gene" Woodling's (the baseball player's) son. Gene is my Uncle and the late Eugene is my grandfather. Please let me know if you have any further questions! Casey (casey.adele@live.com)

7:30 PM  

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