Jermaine Hudson
Volunteers and members of the NC State cheerleading team march around campus during PrideFest on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. Formerly known as Pride Walk, the third annual PrideFest is an event meant to recognize the LGBTQ+ members of the Wolfpack and their allies.
The LGBTQ+ Pride Center has been partnering with D.H. Hill Library since at least 2016 to host events that highlight the LGBTQ+ community, to foster a sense of belonging and togetherness among students and provide a safe, inclusive and empowering space to promote visibility and advocacy for students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
Greg Raschke, the senior vice provost and director of libraries, said D.H. Hill’s partnership with the LGBTQ+ Pride Center is focused on community.
“Every student can use the library. Every student comes through our spaces and connects to us in some way or another,” Rachke said. “We can reach a lot of students. That was the general inspiration.”
Marian Fragola, the director for community engagement at D.H. Hill, said the partnership highlights that information is for everyone.
“The libraries are for everyone, and so I feel like the folks in the Pride Center are part of our community,” Fragola said. “We want them to use the library as much as they can and get excited… with all our resources.”
Raschke said the programs and events the library produces act as a hub for student life and engage community members of all demographics.
“[Student partners are] how we get a good audience, but it’s also how we make sure that everybody feels like they can attend it and all our communications,” Raschke said. “We make it clear that everybody, all students, are welcome.”
Lara Fountaine, a community engagement librarian, said because it gets so much traffic, the library is the perfect place for students to find community and learn.
“We’re able to share and promote [certain events], because people will walk by or walk into the library, and they’re like, what’s going on? What’s this?” Fontaine said. “And we’ll explain to them, Oh, we’re getting ready for the parade that’s coming for Pride Fest.”
Raschke said by holding these events in the open and clearly communicating accessibility and inclusivity, the library is welcoming all students to join them.
“We zoom right out in the open, in the library, and so [events are] easy to find, easy to connect with, easy to stumble upon when we do social media, banners, displays,” Raschke said. “We’ll partner with student government, student centers, different student groups, because that’s the way that students really care about it.”
The library holds many different Pride events like PrideFest, book readings, exhibits, archives and many other events that highlight LGBTQ+ voices and members.
Fontaine said one of the events being held this year is called “Raiders of the Lost Arcade” and is a chance for students to get together to explore immersive, diverse, LGBTQ+ video games.
“Folks will get to experience a sampling of each of the games,” Fontaine said. “Then we’ll talk about the ways that folks are represented in them, the stories and things like that.”
Fragola said “Wolf Tales,” is another source in the library archives to help students share their stories at NC State and have their voices heard.
“We have a program called Wolf Tales, which is with our special collections and Research Center, where they have oral histories of people on campus,” Fontaine said. “Particularly stories that might not have been as well documented, which include some of the sort of underrepresented folks on campus.”
Fontaine said the main goal of the partnered events with the LGBTQ+ Pride Center is to make sure that all students are welcome and have a space where they feel safe to learn and share.
“Our events also present opportunities for students to learn more about that community,” Fontaine said. “With the video games, they’re getting to experience things or see things that maybe they didn’t, haven’t or aren’t super familiar with.”
Raschke said the community and connection are what have stood out to him while working with the Center.
“One of the things that I’ve been really struck by since the pandemic is how many students come to our programs and our events, not just for the program and for the event, but to find community,” Raschke said. “To find each other, and in doing so, they find their place at NC State…If you find friends, if you find support networks, if you find other students who are having success in the classroom and in the community, that helps you find your way.”