Collection management of gay/lesbian materials in the UK and Canada

The gay/lesbian free newspaper press has been crucial in the fight for equa lity of rights for homosexuals both in the U.K, and Canada. The laws affect ing the publication and distribution of these newspapers have developed dif ferently in the two countries however. Therefore librarians in each country have faced distinct challenges. This article examines the legislation in b oth countries, specifically Section 28 in the U.K. and the Charter of Right s and Freedoms in Canada. It analyses the political and social climates res ponsible for the legislation in each country. The application of law and li brary policy to the Canadian gay/lesbian newspaper Xtra! West is explored t hrough a 1996 censorship challenge in a British Columbia library. In the fi nal section, collection management advice regarding gay/lesbian newspapers is offered, based on the results of a survey of 70 public libraries in Brit ish Columbia.