Cards from the Robert Gaylor LGBTQ Collection

These cards are not only information records but material objects. Most are written on blank library cards, while others appear on the backs of printed library cards or on various other papers cut to size. They are predominantly handwritten and reflect the practical, improvised, and evolving nature of Gaylor’s personal cataloging system.

In Gaylor’s words, “If I didn’t have a card, I’d make one for it.”

Many of the cards are the kind used by libraries. When asked whether he took cards from work for his home library, Gaylor answered simply: “Yes.”