Thank you to all organizers / supporters and volunteers of the Living Library
We had 32 "Books"visited by over 300 Moscropian "Readers" at our first Living Library event. Many of the guests offered appreciation to our students for the myriad of respectful and intelligent questions. So far, feedback from many has been resoundingly positive. Overall, there is a general plea for more; more days, more "books", more time. Many staff and students have come forward with offers to organize our next one!
I am in the process of reviewing the debriefing forms filled out by both volunteers and readers, and am eager to share this feedback with you. For now I will say that it was intriguing to see how quickly word spread throughout the school about the transformation of the library. Students who were not scheduled to visit the event were lining up at the door and working to find their way in. I was pretty sure too, to have seen faces reappearing throughout the day, hopeful at a chance to "read another book." I am pondering over what made this day so inviting, when it is a simple concept really, people talking to people.
I like something Mr. Williams said. "This is a public school" he reflected, "and what the Living Library essentially does is bring the public into school, and the school to the public". How often do we get the chance for this sort of experiential learning? The chance to move quickly past the polite formalities of greeting and get down to the nitty gritty of 'Hey, who are you'?
Whether you were a Book, a Reader, or a bystander of the event, I am curious to hear your reflections of the day. Share your afterthoughts, your ponderings or questions? What "Books" did you read? What titles seemed uninteresting? Why? What Books stood out? Who wasn't there that you wish was? What surprised you? What question do you wish you asked?
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Comments
Emily F., Blk f
I came out of the library wishing that I could just turn right back around and check out more of the books.
I hope that we have the living library again next year and that I get to participate again. The books that I checked out were the Feminist/mother, former national figure skater/costume designer, and the American. Although the American and the Feminist/mother may have been one of the unpopular books, I found them both very interesting and fun to talk to. My group started with the American and I guess it was kind of awkward at first because we didn't know what to say but as I got to know her, I found it hard to leave her table at the end because I still had so much more to say to her. Next year I hope that we will have more time to talk to each of them. I feel grateful that I got to participate in the living library and next year I hope that I can volunteer to help out.:)
One of the other books I visited was the Stroke Survivor. I wanted to see this one as my uncle recently suffered a stroke and it was interesting to compare the things that happened to them.
The last book I visited was the Farmer/Former Christian. She managed the farm and had a baby at the same time on her own while her husband worked at the university. It must have been hard.
Jean-Marc Block F
I will never forget the stories I heard from all the books, and the faces of the students who after "reading" the books came back with. It was no doubt an experience most students will cherish, because there are none to few events where students can blatantly ask questions about a stranger's life. It's a curious feeling because when you're talking to these books - strangers who you would normally see on the street but never approach - you just start breaking invisible barriers, and while learning about someone else, expanding your own horizons.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised with the courage and curiosity of both the books and the readers had for each other. I look forward to the next one and will definitely be a volunteer again.