If your state is not listed above, check our expanded eligibility form for focus types of schools in additional states. Focus schools include juvenile system schools, schools for the deaf, therapeutic schools, and more.
Additionally, if you are not in our 33 program states or in a focus school category, we invite you to sign up to receive a notification when we expand program access to your location. If you have already applied for a Rainbow Library, or if you have received one in a previous year, please do not complete this form.
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What is the Rainbow Library?
The Rainbow Library is an initiative that provides LGBTQ+ affirming text sets to schools free of charge. We have already sent Rainbow Library sets to 8,100 schools and libraries across 33 states.
How do you select Rainbow Library books?
Rainbow Library books are selected by the Rainbow Library Book Selection Committee, which is composed of representatives from GLSEN’s Educator Advisory Council, National Student Council, National Staff, and Chapter Network. The Committee chooses Rainbow Library books based on reviews from major journals, such as School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist Reviews, feedback from hundreds of educators and school librarians who previously received Rainbow Library sets, and Committee Members’ own perspectives from having read the books themselves. The grade-range for each title is in line with the grade-range provided by School Library Journal (or if unavailable, reviews from other reputable journals). All Rainbow Library titles have won awards or have been featured on reputable lists, such as the American Library Association (ALA) Rainbow Book List. Two-thirds of our current books are written by queer authors of color and 40% were written by trans and nonbinary authors. Each set contains ten books aligned to one of four grade ranges: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12. Every set contains one book that is either bilingual or entirely in Spanish.
Who runs the Rainbow Library?
The Rainbow Library is an initiative run by GLSEN, in partnership with GLSEN chapters across the country. Founded in 1990, GLSEN is the leading national organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in K-12 education. GLSEN supports schools with professional development, curricular resources, opportunities for student leadership, and best policy practices.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any full-time staff member at a K-12 school in a participating state is welcome to request a Rainbow Library.* All types of K-12 schools are eligible: district, magnet, charter, or independent. Funds are limited, so applicants will be prioritized according to date requested, geographical distribution, and financial need. Each school that applies will be eligible for one Rainbow Library text set. Sets are not limited by school district, so multiple schools in the same district are encouraged to apply for their own sets. We strongly discourage splitting up Rainbow Library sets across schools. *In Arizona, staff at public libraries are also eligible to apply.
How are recipients selected?
Resources are limited, and will be prioritized according to: date requested, geographical distribution, and financial need. If approved, you will receive an email approximately 1 month before the shipment date. In some states, we have focus counties that we also prioritize.
How do I apply for my classroom or library?
Fill out this application today!
When will the Rainbow Library arrive at my school/library?
Our current sendoff timeline depends on book availability and fundraising. Our next sendoff will happen in the 2024-2025 school year.
I work in a state with laws banning LGBTQ+ affirming books from public schools (or a district with similar anti-LGBTQ policies). Should I still apply for a Rainbow Library?
Yes, you should still request a Rainbow Library! U.S. public school students have a constitutional right to access books that affirm BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people. We have sent hundreds of Rainbow Library sets to schools in states and districts with unconstitutional, discriminatory anti-LGBTQ book censorship policies, and have heard countless stories of the positive impacts these books have for students. A public school that denies its students access to a book because it contains LGBTQ+ affirming content violates that student's constitutional rights, and puts itself at risk for federal investigations and civil rights lawsuits. Because federal constitutional protections supersede any local policies or state laws that undermine these rights, when laws conflict, it is the responsibility of school district staff to uphold students' federal constitutional rights. To learn more, visit https://www.rainbowlibrary.org/censorship.
If you have questions about the Rainbow Library, or are interested in getting more involved in the initiative, please see our FAQ page at https://www.rainbowlibrary.org/faq. If you don't see an answer there, you can email us at info@rainbowlibrary.org, but please be patient with our response.