Minnesota's LGBTQIA+ Library Legacy

Since 1986, Quatrefoil Library has grown into one of the oldest circulating LGBTQIA+ libraries in the United States, all while staying volunteer-run and deeply community-centered. On East Lake Street in Minneapolis, it offers a place where books, DVDs, periodicals, and archival materials come together in a setting shaped by curiosity, care, and shared identity.

What makes this library stand out is its purpose. It is both a resource and a gathering place, with free membership opening the door to physical borrowing, digital access through Q Digital, and opportunities to connect through community groups and clubs. The atmosphere is rooted in access and belonging, with a story that continues to matter to readers, researchers, and neighbors across Minneapolis.

Visitors also find a living, active collection supported by volunteers and strengthened by donations, used book sales, author readings, and community participation. That combination gives Quatrefoil Library a distinctive character, practical, welcoming, and grounded in decades of LGBTQIA+ service.