Quatrefoil LibraryThe Quatrefoil Library is the fulfillment of a dream for the late David Irwin. In the mid-1970s both he and Dick Hewetson started collecting gay-themed books, housing their collections in a linen closet. As David continued to buy more books, the collection soon outgrew the “closet.”
David and Dick’s long-time idea of starting a lending library was realized when Matthew Stark, Executive Director of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union, invited the Quatrefoil Library to be a tenant in MCLU’s new building on West Broadway in North Minneapolis. The library opened there on February 4, 1986.
The first year was one of unprecedented growth, so much so that the demand and use of the library soon outgrew the facilities. The library reopened at the renovated Richards Gordon School on June 6, 1987, with more than 4,000 volumes and over 300 periodicals. The collection continues to grow, now consisting of over 23,000 items, from books and DVDs to various periodicals and sound recordings. Likewise, our membership grows, and we invite you to join the unique community that is the Q Library.
