Created to celebrate diversity and foster a sense of belonging, the LGBTQ+ program at the Salt Lake County Library offers a welcoming space for teens of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Providing an array of activities, resources, and support services, the Millcreek Library’s Rainbow Club fosters understanding while creating a supportive environment where participants feel valued and accepted. 

The County Library’s marketing and communications manager Sara Neal said the program not only enriches the community but also strengthens the library’s role as a place of inclusivity and social connection.

“Our goal as a library is to offer spaces for anybody in the community and that develops in different ways,” she said. “For some locations, it is having programming that is tied to your specific language. For other branches, it’s tied to being a new parent and having resources there. In the case of the Millcreek Library, especially since it’s close to a junior high school and a high school, it’s having a place where you can be comfortable with your friend.”

The Millcreek Rainbow Club meets the fourth Thursday of every month, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Millcreek Library (2266 E. Evergreen Ave.) in the meeting room. All tweens, teens and allies are invited to participate, forge friendships, learn a new craft and discuss important issues. 

Attendees enjoy creating things together at the club. Crafts include string art, pom pom garlands and decorations for the library to commemorate Pride Month in June. 

The Rainbow Club website (found through the Salt Lake County Library’s website at slcls.libnet) lists artists, actors, musicians and others who identify as LGBTQ+. The site also suggests reading material, movies, music and other media that is LGBTQ+ friendly. There is also a listing of LGBTQ+ friendly businesses in Salt Lake County.

“I think the entire point of being human is finding people we can relate to, but it’s also finding differences that help us expand our worldview,” Neal said. “So I think that anytime libraries have a chance to share information it helps you learn something new about the world around you and interact with it in a different way.”

Millcreek city supported the LGBTQ+ community through its recent Pride Festival that featured a Big Gay Car Wash (with proceeds supporting UAF Legacy Health, an organization helping those living with HIV). It also hosted the Matrons of Mayhem drag bingo event, held a Pride market, and  Millcreek Pride skate night at Millcreek Common featuring DJ Chu. 

“I think the focus is not just our queer kids, it is for anybody,” Neal said. “So it’s for kids who are queer, it’s for kids who are straight, it’s for kids who have friends who are queer and they just might want to know more about how they can support their friends.”  λ