Like every other taxpayer-funded public service, libraries have been hit hard by budget cuts during the economic slowdown of the past several years. Adding insult to injury, fewer people read, and those who do are increasingly likely to use e-readers instead of print books. Those forces have combined to send many libraries searching for new ways of doing business.
One of the most innovative new initiatives comes from the City Centre Library in Surrey, British Columbia, which is scheduled to open next month. Realizing that bound volumes are far from the only source of knowledge, librarians in Surrey will also lend out "living books"—in other words, people. Staff will maintain a list of local residents who have volunteered to share their knowledge of any topic, and other library patrons can make appointments for 30-45-minute conversations.
Librarian Ravi Basi told CTV British Columbia that the Surrey library staff initially imagined the living books initiative as a way to break down barriers between people of different races or religions, but people with interesting careers, life experiences, or academic research topics would make good volunteers as well. The program will certainly give students writing research reports access to information they can't get on Google, though everyone will be encouraged to take advantage. Giving people a reason to come to the library and connect with their neighbors? Sounds like a win-win to us.
The Human Library Project at Emily Carr PS in London Ontario
A short video about the Human Library event at Preston College. For more information on the Human Library visit http://humanlibrary.org/
Humber College and Humber Libraries are proud to present the second annual Human Library event, March 24th, 2011, at Lakeshore Campus. Readers at the Human Library sign out "human books" -- real people, willing to share their unique experiences and perspectives in open, informal conversation. Challenge your preconceptions and assumptions, broaden your awareness and understanding of others, and be curious! Learn more and reserve a book at
http://library.humber.ca/HumanLibrary/
World mental health Day, human library event 2010.
The human library brought together people with experiences from bi-polar to employment, spending time talking to the public.
An amazing group of human books bravely tell their stories to browsers at Cromer library in North Norfolk.
Open a book ... all human life is there.
Save Our Local Libraries!
(for 2 minutes of your time film project)
Go to Acadia's Vaughan Library and check out a human book. Ask questions, talk about their experiences, whether it's the Belly Dancing Librarian, a student intern returning from Ghana or a CBC radio personality. Human books are interactive and diverse.
Have you ever wondered what living with bi-polar is actually like? Do you know what having the label 'personality disorder' really means? Have you ever secretly wondered why people with depression don't just
snap out of it?!
The project has been developed as part of the Time to Change campaign as it aims to reduce the stigma around mental health. Conversations are shaped by the reader and the book together, but a common theme is personal experience of coping with a mental health issue and ideas about how society adapts to improve this experience.
Martin Etheridge
The Human Library
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