Something I know I have in common with the majority of my peers in the information field is that I love stories in all forms. I love music, television, books, historical narratives. Stories surround our lives, when we communicate with our loved ones we tell a story, when we imagine our futures we tell a story, when we engage in creative processes we tell a story.
At the school that I work at, there is a ‘mirrors and windows’ approach to teaching. Specifically in the library, we aim to make students feel seen and see others. A study on the impact of the Human Library showed that “being faced with another human being inspired them [participants] to reflect on their own biases and resulted in an increased sensitivity towards the diversity that exists beyond physical appearance” (Arne-Skidmore). Stories have the power to change worldviews and change attitudes. Stories shape our lives and our perspectives of them.
The library holds so much power in its housing and preservation of stories. The hyperlinked library is representative of how the institution of libraries can bridge the divide between people. The library should be a place in which people see their stories reflected back at them and have the opportunity to see others’ stories.