Meet Our Books
The Wollongong Living Books video and website really stuck with me in this module because this concept is EXACTLY what I love and picture the library to be; the library is a safe space for everyone and by utilizing a living library where “readers” can “check out” people, this environment creates empathy and understanding for others that may have differing lifestyles, opinions, politics, etc. than oneself. With the world, especially now, in such a vulnerable and polarizing political climate, innovative concepts like these where the focus is on lived human experiences brings a sense of humanity back to people who may be deemed as “other.” By giving individuals, especially marginalized people, a platform to speak their true, lived experiences, it is not only empowering for them, but also bridges an information gap for people who may not understand or have not interacted with folks from differing backgrounds. When I explored the “Meet our Books page on the City of Wollongong website, I was happy to see so many stories from people with differing backgrounds ( examples: a woman who experienced domestic violence and escaped to a woman who had to relearn how to walk, talk, and eat again because of suffering a stroke at 19).
“The living library is an excellent opportunity for people to engage in a conversation with someone that they may never have had an opportunity to meet, or someone that comes from a different community background. It is a great space for promoting contact between individuals and enabling people to challenge their own perceptions and stereotypes through conversation.”
–Leigh Dolan, Good Relations Unit, Belfast City Council
The two photos shown above are from a Living Library event that took place in Belfast, Ireland back in 2019 along with a quote from one of the participants. Below, I absolutely loved that younger people were interviewed in the YouTube video and took away new perspectives and respect for speakers they normally wouldn’t personally engage with.
References:
City of Wollongong. (n.d.). Wollongong living books. https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/my-community/events-and-programs/living-books
Community Relations Council. (2019). The living library where people are books. https://www.community-relations.org.uk/news-centre/living-library-where-people-are-books
El Segundo Media. (2022, May 4). Living library 2022. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKcLJBsHPy8
4 Comments
Millicent
@claireburke I have never been to a human library, but it is now on my bucket list to find one that I can attend. The concept is just so cool. It is one thing to read about a culture, it is a whole other thing to actually meet someone that is a part of that culture and hear first-hand stories and experiences.
Claire Burke
@inabookbind Sorry for SUPER late response, but I am with you 100 on wanting to go to a human library. When I was younger, my parents participated in a reenactment of The Underground Railroad and got to portray people helping the cause along with many others. I always loved the idea of learning through storytelling, and the human library is such an important and impactful concept. Thanks for your comment!
Kiana Pouya
Hi @claireburke,
I really love the idea of the human library. I genuinely wish I could experience it first-hand. I already love hearing about others lived experiences through documentaries and YouTube. I can’t imagine how much more real and life-changing it would be to experience it in-person, being able to witness that person’s body language in addition to their words. It’s truly inspiring to think that how much respect and change these encounters can spark, especially in younger generations. Thank you for sharing what libraries can, and in my opinion, should be about!
Claire Burke
@kianapouya Man, sorry for returning your comment so late! This semester has been kicking my butt and I haven’t been able to comment as timely as I would have liked. I have never experienced a human library first-hand either and would absolutely love to see it in action. I agree with you on the impact that “checking out” people has on individuals, especially those from such different backgrounds. I definitely believe that through communication, questions, and learning, we can gain a better sense of empathy and understanding towards others who have experienced different things than ourselves. Thanks for the comment!