USC Gets Nation's Largest Gay Archive

The University of Southern California will receive a donation of what is believed to be the nation's largest collection of historic material and books related to gay and transgender life, reports the Los Angeles Times. The ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives will transfer more than 23,000 books, 11,000 films and videos, and 9,000 magazines and journals from a rent-free building owned by the university but considered an independent entity.

ONE president Joseph Hawkins says the organization decided on USC to guarantee a permanent home for the collection and to take advantage of the university's preservation resources. "This protects it in a way we couldn't protect it ourselves," he says. ONE will continue to exist to sponsor exhibits, help raise funds, and find new material for the archives.