One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn (and re-learn) as a librarian has been not to hesitate to ask someone who knows more than you do about a subject. Yes, Google exists. As do dozens of specific databases for whatever information you’re seeking; but honestly, you will save yourself time and heartache (and usually get better results), if you will admit that you don’t know something and ask someone who does to help you.

Librarians spend a lot of time trying to get people to *ask us* things and indeed the “Save the time of the reader” is the 4th law of library science. However, I think librarians modeling asking others is so powerful. Setting aside one’s ego and being genuinely interested in and appreciative of what others have to share from their own expertise is a skill one should practice often.

And thus, in that vein, I’d like to ask any of my readers (a number of whom I know are experts in various veins of Minnesota History): Are there any books or articles that you would recommend if one were trying to establish a good general sense of Minnesota state and local politics and politicians in the 1980s?

I’m all ears.

Note: I was inspired to write this short post (and will be doing some targeted sharing of it on social media) after a fabulous conversation with a good friend during my on-site research time at the History Center last week. Specifically, I asked them if they had any recommendations to share for general histories of LGBTQ communities in Minnesota. I was happy to get a confirm that for general histories 10,000 Loves is indeed a good start, but also learned about Queer Twin Cities (which I had not encountered previously). Happy to report I’m getting them both delivered to me at the East Lake Street Library via hold requests. Life is beautiful when you ask people to share their experience and expertise. Thanks, Perry!

Interested in reading along with me? Find either title via WorldCat in the library near you!

Queer Twin Cities (Available in 910 libraries and also available for free as an ebook via the Internet Archive!)

Land of 10,000 Loves: A History of Queer Minnesota (Available in 691 libraries)