My favorite workshop this year at MLA/DLA 2018 was the one
on Human Libraries “Creating and Managing a Human
Library” sponsored by ACRL-MD and aims
to help libraries develop a design or plan for a human library of their
own.
One of the hand-outs was A Baltimore Sun article which stated “ ‘Living books’ that can be
‘checked out’ by area residents with a goal of dispelling stereotypes is the
basis for a worldwide initiative that will make its debut in Howard County on
March 11.” It was a very practical, informative session with colleagues
presenting programs they offered and tips for offering a Human Library program.
Laksamee Putnam of Towson University and Ali Jessing of
Howard County Public Library, along with other colleagues shared their
experiences starting and offering this program twice each.
Alan Simpson of Howard County was the one who initiated the
program there, which was the first public library in Maryland to offer it. Robert Wetheral, State Dates and eBook Coordinator for the
State of Delaware talked about how to get buy-in to start a program.
One of the most valuable pieces of information was a Human
Library Toolkit with specifics that could be adapted or used as-is for other
libraries. This saves “re-inventing the wheel” in several areas of planning and
implementation. It includes the
categories:
Book Recruitment
Resources
Event Management
Resources
Supplemental
Resources
Examples are offered for Recruiting/Marketing, to
interviewing and training Human Books, to event preparation lists and google forms, sample letters to invitees and
participants, outlines, and more.
Human Library Toolkit:
Human Library would be a good program to offer at multiple
branches at Enoch Pratt and have multi-branch marketing. We’ve done programs at multiple branches and marketed them
as a series or wider program, such as Art at the Pratt (including Peabody
musicians), films (at several branches) yoga etc.
In the Enoch Pratt Strategic Plan the vision of the library
is “The catalyst empowering people and communities.” Borrowing a Human Book goes along way toward fulfilling this
vision.
Jeanne Lauber
Business, Science, & Technology
