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Description
Adolescents

This subseries contains information specifically for adolescents, so this is the most illustrated and colourful series in the collection. The majority of the comic book format items in the collection are in this series. There is one comic book specifically for Native American adolescents. "Sex on Earth and other planets" is unique in that it is a comic book conceived, designed and written by teens for teens; created in Los Angeles in 1992, it is present in both English and Spanish. A Hawaiian comic book called "Bloodstream Follies" presents a cast of seven teens who expose themselves to AIDS via sharing needles for recreational drugs and steroids, and unsafe heterosexual and homosexual sex; it co-stars the crew of a ship of AIDS viruses. The brochures in this series contain titles like "Teens & AIDS" and "Could I get it?"

Caregivers

Information for Friends, Relatives and any non-health care professional who are caring for people who are HIV+ or Living with AIDS. The material aimed at parents are brochures with question and answer scenarios and many have titles that begin with the phrase "Talking to your ..." There is one set of two from the National Safety Council of the United States: "What you should know" & "What your teenager will be learning about AIDS,"

The 'Friends' sub-series provide several examples of similar information, with titles like "When a Friend has AIDS". There is one booklet specific to the effects of HIV / AIDS related dementia with practical tips on accommodations and safety precautions.

Note that with the 'Parents' sub-series there are three items regarding sexuality that are completely unrelated to HIV / AIDS; these provide advice and answers to parents who are concerned that their child might be a homosexual. As these items are aimed at parents they are included here rather than the 'Sexuality' series which is aimed at people of a specific sexuality.

General AIDS

This subseries contains general information on AIDS for a general audience. The geographical locations represented include several states and provinces, with two versions of a large format booklet from Sweden. The related health concerns sub-series provides the most detailed descriptions of other sexually transmitted infections and opportunistic diseases. This sub-series also contain specific information for intravenous drug users. The debunking myths sub-series provides insights in to the prejudices and assumptions about HIV /AIDS many people held in the 1980's and even into the early 1990's.

General HIV and AIDS

This subseries contains a large variety of materials which provide primary prevention information on HIV and AIDS. The largest single topic covered is 'Condom Use', followed by 'Testing' and 'Counselling.' The items with creative packaging were all created in Alberta, most by the AIDS Network of Edmonton Society which include actual condoms. This is the only series which includes correspondence in the form of 2 letters from Barry Breau the Executive Director of the AIDS Network of Edmonton. The 'pak' from this group includes 3 flattened "Cootie Catchers" on testing, safe sex, and talking about HIV / AIDS. Instructions and pre-folded photocopies of the Cootie Catchers have been included; please do not fold the originals.

Persons living with HIV/AIDS

Information that addresses the specific information needs of Persons Living with HIV / AIDS. Most of this collection are brochures with advice on improving health through diet, drugs, and vitamin supplements. One of these includes an easy reference chart for what foods to eat to alleviate specific symptoms. A comprehensive booklet from 1993 provides fairly detailed information regarding dental health and AIDS related health concerns. there are two booklets from Hazelden publishers one applies the "12 Steps" program to AIDS and the other is a very comprehensive guide to HIV / AIDS prevention and the importance of hope. There are two full page single staple booklets from AIDS Network of Edmonton, one of which is 55 pages long and includes excellent index, glossary and listing of service providers.

Sexuality

Information for people of specific sexualities, or who engage in specific sexual practices.

Although the sub-series for sexual minority women is relatively small with only four items, they were published between 1986 and 1993. The single Spanish bilingual issue of 'LAP Notes' provides comprehensive information on rights, symptoms specific to women, problems accessing medical care and a snapshot of the attitudes and challenges lesbians faced at the time. It includes a letter from a lesbian living with AIDS in prison. NOTE the term 'Bisexual Woman' rarely appears in this entire series.

Within the sub-series for sexual minority men there are several brochures with erotic photographs or illustrations of naked men engaged in various sexual activities. This is worth noting as such images are mostly absent from any other series. One wallet sized fold out contains statistics on 'young men and HIV.' Most items have lists of safe versus unsafe sexual practices.

The heterosexual sub-series is dominated by items targeting specific ethnic groups with titles like "You don't have to be white of gay to get AIDS.' One of the Native American brochures connects AIDS to previous diseases the were imported with European colonizers like smallpox. In terms of risk of transmission some of the brochures list 'French-kissing' as unknown.

The sub-series specific to heterosexual women contains a wide variety of items most of which contain some information on pregnancy or mother to child transmission; some are specific to this concern. Many items exist in more than one version or are bilingual. There is a single photocopy brochure on symptoms specific to women. There are a few comprehensive booklets that include preventative measures for sex with other women but the majority of the information in them assumes the reader is a heterosexual woman. There is a single brochure that focuses on Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI's) which does not mention HIV /AIDS. Includes one bookmark and one business card information item.

Workplace

Information for specific occupations outside of Health and Medicine. Approximately half of the items in this series are intended for teachers, administrators or instructors in schools and colleges. It includes information from the UK, USA and Canada. There are Information bulletins from Alberta Education (Canada), the Department of Health and Human Services (USA) and the UK Department of Education and Science. there is one catalog of AIDS related teaching materials and three versions of an English as a Second Language teaching resource.

The other half of this series is for a variety of non-educational occupational settings, the majority are general and cover concerns like sharing equipment or lockers rooms with someone with AIDS. There are however two with very specific audiences, food and beverage workers and personal service (grooming) workers. there is also a single brochure that seems to be for anyone who works in downtown Vancouver B.C.