Ahliah Bratzler

Ahliah Jo Bratzler (she/they) is a former public librarian gone rogue. As an employee at the Indianapolis Public Library, Ahliah created a staff committee to address the lack of queer support (for both employees and patrons) in the system. They spearheaded the first LGBTQ+ programming in the system, acquired the historic Chris Gonzalez Collection (making her system the owner of the third largest public library collection of queer material in the country), and vastly expanded outreach to organizations in the community focused on LGBTQ+ services - particularly inclusive organizations that were proactive in serving BIPOC communities. She left the public library world shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indiana to pursue freelance opportunities in librarianship and writing. As a disabled queer writer, Ahliah is passionate about increasing access to well-researched knowledge to people throughout the world, especially when that knowledge is actively being hidden or destroyed. She currently works with the Stonewall Book Awards as the administrator for the Barbara Gittings Literature Award committee, and is a book reviewer with Library Journal.