Every year, the American Library Association sponsors American Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. For the second year in a row, the Leather Archives & Museum (and its library, the Teri Rose Memorial Library) marked the occasion by surveying its members and supporters about their kinky reading.

This year, though, Librarian John Bradford went beyond simply asking the members for the titles of their favorite books. He set up an online survey which inquired:

•         Where do you buy BDSM books and magazines?

•         How much do you spend annually on kinky books and magazines?

•         Some libraries carry kinky materials. Does yours?

•         When was your last visit to the Leather Archives & Museum?

•         What is your favorite book of kinky fiction?

•         What is your favorite book on a specific fetish?

•         Who is your favorite kinky fiction author?

•         Who is your favorite kinky non-fiction author?

•         What is your favorite BDSM magazine?

Answers to the first question were eclectic, to say the least. The most common responses  were “online mainstream vendors” and “leather markets at BDSM events,” but our patrons sought them out anywhere from garage sales to academic journals to sex shops to book exchanges with friends.

Those who took our survey reported spending sums from nothing at all to over $250 annually on their kinky reading. 54% of our respondents spent less than $100 a year.

But they are not borrowing kinky books from their local libraries. Only a few of our respondents were sure libraries in their communities carried kinky materials. 12% of respondents knew they could get kinky materials at their public libraries; 8% reported a private library in their community carried such materials; 12% reported being able to get these items at their college or university libraries. While some of our supporters were able to find some materials in their local libraries, the Teri Rose Memorial Library holds many unique items and is the only resource for many of our members.

Amazingly, only a little over half the respondents had ever visited the LA&M. Only 36% had visited in the last year. Receiving responses and support from these leather- and fetishfolk is both humbling and enheartening. The LA&M truly is “located in Chicago, serving the world”

The top three works of kinky fiction were:

1. Macho Sluts, by Patrick Califia

2.  I Once Had a Master, by John Preston

3. The Brig, by Mason Powell

And the three favorite fiction authors were:

1. Laura Antoniou

2.  John Preston

3.  Joseph Bean

The top three works on a specific fetish (kinky nonfiction) were:

1. Soaked! A Watersports Handbook for Men, by Joseph Bean

2. Leatherman's Handbook, edited by Larry Townsend

3. The Family Jewels: A Guide to Male Genital Play and Torment, by Hardy Haberman

And the three favorite nonfiction authors were:

1. Joseph Bean

2. Guy Baldwin

3. Jack Rinella

The favorite three BDSM magazines were:

1. Instigator

2. Bound & Gagged

3. Drummer

LA&M’s librarians and staff will use the full lists of titles and authors to help them in developing the collections.