Interested in being a Living Book in the Living Library?
We need Living Books who are: from diverse backgrounds, possess unique or rare talents, or who have had particular life experiences.
If there is a particular aspect of your life that would be of interest to others, and you would be happy to share your experience openly, then you may be interested in speaking at a Living Library event.
You would need to be comfortable speaking about your experience to a large audience of attendees, each of whom come from a range of backgrounds and who hold varying opinions.
Becoming a Living Book in the Living Library
Qualities required of Living Books are:
- excellent public speaker
- open minded attitude
- tolerance
- self-confidence
- honesty
Note: Living Books who are survivors of any kind of trauma or abuse need to be confident that they can speak and be interviewed about their experience.
Being a Living Book entails speaking to a large audience about the situation or experience that you are representing. The most common advice is to be yourself - don’t act or embellish your situation. Be ready to share your experience generously, but if the questions become too intimate you can decline to answer - should the need arise, you can terminate the discussion.
Being a Living Book in a Living Library is a great opportunity. Other Living Books have written that they learned a great deal about themselves and about the people who borrowed them, by being a Living Book. Being a Living Book is a gift to your community, as the Living Library plays a role in enhancing community relationships.
At the same time, being a Living Book can be challenging. You must be comfortable enough with yourself - who you are and what you have lived through - to be able to answer questions about yourself and your life. “Readers” may come with common misunderstandings about your experience, and you will need to respond calmly and with tolerance.
Important questions for potential Living Books to answer:
- What things about my life am I happy to talk about with strangers?
- What would the title and subject of my Book be?
- Am I confident that I can comfortably speak about my experience?
Commitments and Expectations of Living Books
The Living Library will take place every other month (on average). It is anticipated that there would be a rotating catalogue of Living Books for each event.
Potential Living Books will be asked to attend a training session to help their knowledge and understanding of the Living Library process, and to increase their confidence in speaking with strangers and to a large audience. Information sessions and training will be conducted before the Living Library event, and then at regular intervals.
Both Living Books and event attendees are required to maintain confidentiality of the details discussed at the events, as outlined in the terms and conditions of the Living Library. Living Books must read and understand the Living Library’s confidentiality policy.
Support for Living Books
Living Books in the Living Library are supported by the Living Library Committee and particular Gosford City Library staff. These library staff manage the Living Library events, ensure that the locations for events are suitable, and generally help to make the process positive for Living Books and the event attendees.
Living Books are provided with a debriefing session at the end of each reading day.
You're certain you want to speak at a Living Library event?
Contact Erina Library on 4365 6725 and your details will be passed on to the correct staff members.
