Tools for Research

I am going to share a bit about my research process here to aid other people who want to conduct similar research, (and maybe even Contribute To The Project).

Tools and Softwares

• Obsidian
  • A personal knowledge management app that this website is created through. It allows for linking ideas and notes. Obsidian uses Markdown, which is universal and transferrable across multiple platforms. (Markdown syntax guide)
• Zotero
  • A powerful tool for research with an accompanying Browser extension that allows you to send webpages and files directly to your Zotero library. Zotero allows you to manage your sources, annotate, and cite them.
• PDF OCR Software
  • I recommend making the PDFs you store in your Zotero library searchable through OCR conversion which is available through tools like Adobe, PDF Candy, etc. This will allow you to search your Zotero library for names, topics, etc.

Sources of Research

• PPLD Digital Collections
• PPLD Special Collections (non-digitized materials, must be accessed in-person)
• Colorado Springs Pride Center Collection, now on the Internet Archive!
• The Wayback Machine/Internet Archive
• Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
• Shared COS Queer History Zotero Library (For Rushaan's class only. For access to any particular materials, Contact Nico.)
• Archive Grid: Allows you to search archives across the world.
• Gale: A system of databases, many of which are only accessible through a school or library.
• Archives of Sexuality and Gender: A Gale database. Requires school or library access.
• Colorado LGBTQ+ History Project
• CS Pioneers Museum Collections: Local history museum with collections of materials regarding local history.
• History Colorado Collections: A local museum based in Denver with an archive of materials related to local history.
• DPL Digital Collections
• Newspaper Archive: Has archived issues of the CS Gazette. Has been down for maintenance for a few weeks as of March, 2026. Accessible with PPLD Library card.
• Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ Oral History Interviews
• Reach out to people directly! Via Facebook, connections, etc.

Tips for Research

• Get familiar with search syntax (which can vary across websites)
  • Use quotes to search for exact phrases, i.e. "Pikes Peak Gay Community Center" "Colorado Springs" will return results that have both phrases exactly as they are written.
    • For instance, The Hide & Seek's name has been written many different ways. Hide 'n' Seek, Hide and Seek, Hide-n-Seek. If I want to find everything I can about this bar, I'd want to try every possible search term, and also search related people to the bar, such as Joe Brady, Tom Gehling, etc.
  • Be curious. Be persistent. Try different terms in different databases. You'd be surprised what you can find.
  • Use the "advanced search" function on databases to filter based on dates, locations, etc.
• Maintain your Zotero library!
  • Update the metadata. Make the PDFs searchable. Zotero has an OCR plug-in, or you can use Adobe's OCR converter online to turn

Get Familiar with Period-Specific Terminology

• Here are some terms for searching old archives and newspapers to bring up LGBTQ+-related topics.
  • Pre-WW2
    • Homosexual
    • buggery
    • sodomy
    • sodomite
    • pederasty
    • sexual perversion/inversion/pervert
    • hermaphrodite
    • homosexual
    • berdache
    • sapphic
    • lesbian
    • "in male attire"
    • "in female attire"
  • Mid-20th-century and onward
    • Male/Female impersonator (term used for drag performers)
    • Homosexual
    • Queer
    • homophile
    • transsexual
    • transvestite
    • transgender
    • Lesbian
    • LGBTQ/LGBT/LGBTQ+/GLB/etc.

^[1]

References

Anything to add?