The living library or "human library" was created in Denmark in the early 2000s. Its aim? To deconstruct prejudice, promote diversity and encourage people to think critically. The living library works in the same way as a traditional library: readers come and borrow a book for a limited period, then have to return it and can borrow another if they wish.
The only difference, and not the least, is that the books are human beings, and their pages are flipped as they engage in an enriching dialogue with a reader. Living books tell their own life stories, their own stories through the questions asked by the reader. It's a unique, human experience that allows you to confront your own clichés and deconstruct them!
Do you want to set up a living library but don't know where to start? Here are 6 invaluable tips for successful organisation!
Define your human library project
First and foremost, it's important to surround yourself with the best team: librarians to design the project, organisers to run the event on the day, partner organisations to promote the Living Library and make it easier to recruit human books.
The second stage in designing the Living Library project is choosing the theme. It's best to set yourself a specific theme so that you don't spread yourself too thin, and so that your future readers will have a more coherent experience. Don't hesitate to take inspiration from the Human Library Organization !
In addition, think about the most appropriate place for a living library in your establishment: a positive environment that encourages dialogue between readers and living books.
A living library generally lasts 3 hours, with loans lasting no more than 20/30 minutes. We recommend that you give priority to one-to-one interaction between the reader and the living book, for more enriching exchanges.
When it comes to borrowing your living books, we strongly recommend that you set up an online booking solution. Your participants will be able to reserve one or more human books in advance of their visit, and you won't have to manage registrations on the big day!
Recruiting the right living books
The success of a living library also depends on the 'quality' of the living books recruited! As with recruiting new employees in a company, you need to define clear and precise selection criteria beforehand to identify precisely the profile of people you are looking for.
We advise you to activate various levers to recruit them:
Use your personal network,
Use your partners' network to recruit the right profiles, so that they can communicate with their own network and make your job easier,
Communicate within your library via posters at reception, but also on your website, your social networks or by email!
Make sure you include a variety of people with different experiences and life stories. This promotes understanding, empathy and inclusion.
Supporting human books and defining the catalogue
Not all human books are born with the idea of a living library, so it's important to support them in this new adventure! We recommend that you organise several meetings/workshops with all your living books, one or two a month if possible. The aim is to explain and clarify the concept of the living library to everyone, train them and reassure them.
For example, you can offer them advice on communication, active listening and how to share their story in a captivating and informative way. Make sure the "human books" feel comfortable and supported during the event. Create a caring environment where they can share with confidence.
Once a climate of trust has been created with your human books, define the catalogue with them. This usually contains the title, summary and first name of each book. You can advise them and help them to identify the most appropriate angle for their stories.
Promote the Human Library widely
To attract a large number of readers to take part in the Living Library, it needs to be promoted as widely as possible to attract a wide range of audiences! The development of library audiences is an indicator that is increasingly monitored as part of public reading development plans, and this type of initiative undoubtedly makes it possible to stand out from the media landscape!
Think about multiplying your communication channels:
On the one hand, with offline communication via the creation and printing of physical media such as kakemonos, posters and flyers to display in your library,
On the other hand, with online communication on your website, on your social networks, on your partners' websites, with the local media, the town hall, via mailings or via applications like Affluences where users can consult information about the event such as the catalogue while reserving one or more living books on a single platform!
Don't forget to use your preferred channels to attract your regular audience first, which can also encourage word-of-mouth.
Optimising the reader experience on the big day
There are a number of tools that can help you to optimise the reception and experience of your audience on the day of the event. This is the case with an online reservation solution for your human books, as mentioned above.
This is a tool that will make life easier for your participants, as they can be sure of being able to borrow their favourite book at a time that suits them best. They'll be able to organise and anticipate their visit as well as possible!
You can plan the subjects, time slots and locations in advance, so that everyone can see at a glance what's on offer beforehand.
With Affluences, you can even add information about the event, such as the catalogue, itinerary, services and, of course, real-time attendance. What's more, the booking solution will be a great help in managing your living library: there's no need to manage registrations on the day - they'll be done automatically!
What's more, it's advisable to have at least two people on hand on the day: one to welcome readers, confirm bookings and inform curious passers-by who might be interested in the event, and another to guide borrowers to their living book, manage time, provide entertainment and intervene in the event of any problems.
Collect feedback with a view to continuous improvement and evaluate the impact of the human library
Once your living library is complete, don't stop there and collect as much feedback on your event as possible!
Plan a quality time with your living books to thank them and get their feedback on the organisation of the day. You can also offer a questionnaire to readers to gather their opinions and debrief internally with your project team so that you can learn from your mistakes and do even better at your next Living Library!
At the same time, a statistical study of participation data over time will enable you to monitor the impact of the Living Library on increasing and diversifying visitor numbers.
By following these valuable tips, you will be able to maximise the impact of your human library, make your library more participative and create unforgettable experiences for your audiences!
Living library: the heart of a more participative book policy?
Participatory libraries represent an exciting evolution of the traditional library concept. Instead of being mere repositories of books, these libraries are dynamic spaces where the active participation of the community is encouraged. They offer a wide range of resources, from books to digital technologies, and focus on empowering community members by encouraging learning, knowledge exchange and creativity. Participatory libraries have become hubs of social interaction, where residents can not only consume information, but also produce it. They host workshops, cultural and educational events, and are often the beating heart of community life. Human libraries fit perfectly with this participatory approach, enabling people to connect, share experiences and create a living, evolving learning space.