Brown University

Collections A-Z

In addition to general collections and online subscription databases, journals, and ebooks, the Library holds more than 500 named collections which are distinguished by their specialized subject matter, age, uniqueness, or value. Most of the listed collections on this page are located in the John Hay Library. To locate digitized collections, see the list available at the Center for Digital Scholarship site and search the Brown Digital Repository.

LibGuides: Guide to Research | Browse all Guides | Consult Your Subject Librarian


The Richard G. Katzoff Collection

The collection, named in honor of Richard G. Katzoff and housed in the John Hay Library at Brown University, consists primarily of literary works relating to gays and lesbians, with a small component of history and sociology; most are U.S. publications. The core of the Collection is the gift of books, primarily novels dating from the 1970s and 1980s, received in 1991 from the estate of Richard Katzoff, supplemented by the library and personal writings of John Preston, journalist, author and editor of gay literature (the Library also houses Preston's papers). In addition, the Collection includes the publications of Larry Townsend (sadomasochistic fiction and pictorial erotica), many books from the library of Edmund White, an extensive collection of contemporary lesbian fiction, and many other smaller donations of gay and lesbian writings. Materials continue to be added to the Collection by gift and purchase; an endowment has been established for that purpose by the Katzoff family. More recent acquisitions include the Gay Pulp Fiction collection containing over 4,700 titles of gay pulp fiction published between 1933-1997 with the bulk created during 1953-1997.
Format(s): Books
Library: John Hay
Contacts: If you have any questions, please use the Live Chat button on our homepage

Access to the collection:

Online Catalog (BruKnow):

Larry Townsend publications
John Preston publications
Edmund White publications

Other Online Access:
Digital Collection: Gay pulp fiction database
Publication: The Preston Archive (Bibliofile)

Related Collections:
Gay Pulp Fiction Collection
Preston (John) Papers
O'Hara Papers