More than Meets the Eye: The Human Library

 ​Join Azure Beach Library for International Day of Disability!

Date: 1/12/22

Time: 11:00am to 3:00pm

Venue: Inside Azure Beach Library

Contact: Erin Hackelton-Smith at azurebeachevents@library.com

Challenge yourself, meet new people and engage in respectful conversations with ’human books’ to learn about the intricacies of living with a disability.  

Human Libraries is an organisation that promotes connectivity and empathy through conversation. Each ’reader’ will have the opportunity to sit opposite unique individuals and listen to their story, as well as strike up a respectful dialogue confronting how these individuals may be perceived in today's community.

To learn more about the organisation the official Human Libraries webpage.

In Australia, over 5 million people have some form of disability, with 90% of those people living with an invisible disability(disabilities). Also known as a silent illness or hidden disability, it is a disability that does not exhibit externally visible signs or symptoms.

This can lead to misconception and judgment from others which can leave the disabled feeling misunderstood and isolated.  

Engage with the five unique ‘books‘ and learn more about their individual experiences living with ADHD, autism, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and diabetes in modern society.  

Meet our books!

By participating in this event, we aim to challenge those prejudices and unconscious biases to create a more accessible and inclusive community for all, while also lending our ears and minds to those whose voices often go unheard. 

Book now to secure your seat, follow the link or follow the button below. 

 

NAIDOC week at Azure Beach: a Human Library

 

Azure Beach Library welcomes you to NAIDOC Week: A Human Library.

It will be held in Azure Beach Library’s Azure Room on Saturday July 9, 2023 - 11am - 4pm.

Meet great Indigenous creative achievers at this special event for NAIDOC week! 

You can come to the library and have a one-on-one talk with our guests Dr Daniele Hromek, Melissa Greenwood and Melissa Jackson.

A twist on a traditional library borrowing experience - a Human Library has human books you can come talk to.

Our books - Gumbaynggir woman Melissa Greenwood (illustrator) , Bundjalung woman Melissa Jackson (librarian) and Budawang and Yuin woman Dr Daniele Hromek (design academic) - are all leaders in their industries, who want to tell you about life growing up in Azure Beach's surrounding Country.

Gain a deeper understanding of their lives, careers and Blak cultural pride in Azure Beach. Find out how this culture has strengthened our human books, personally and professionally. 

You can read about our guests background in the areas surrounding Azure Beach - and their achievements in Blak Culture. Daniele Hromek , Melissa Jackson , Melissa Greenwood .

Azure Beach Library acknowledges the Gumbaynggir custodians of the land on which it stands, and that sovereignty was never ceded.

RSVP essential - contact info@ablibrary.nsw.gov.au

image attribution: (c) Djinjama, 2018. 

_____________________

The Graphic used is a derivative of an Animation on Vimeo presented by Djinjama - All rights reserved by Djinjama.

Djinjama (2018). Cultural Heritage [video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/269261720

[[[NB just in case I haven't shown understanding and am required to - It is absolutely imperative that any library retain written consent by Ms Hromek (director of Djinjama and guest at the Human Library) to use the graphic material contained. Correct attribution to Indigenous creators according to AIATSIS Policy framework is integral to a culturally safe library and AB's stakeholder relations at this event. That said, I obviously don't have Djinjama's written consent for the purely self-educational purposes of this blog post.]]]

Elizabeth Nagy.

Dying to Know Day Event

Azure Beach Public Library Event:

Dying to Know Day – "Destigmatising the End"

(Image sourced from https://www.dyingtoknowday.com/)

When: Saturday, 13 August, 2022
Where: Azure Beach Public Library – Library Courtyard (or Library main area in case of poor weather)

Bookings through EventBrite

Dying to Know:
August 8 is Dying to Know Day. Dying to Know Day is an annual campaign run by The Groundswell Project which encourages Australians of all ages to “Get Dead Set” about their end-of-life planning, so that they can both live and die well. To that end, Azure Beach Public Library will be hosting a Human Living Library event centred around Dying to Know Day.

For more information about Dying to Know Day, please visit their official website here: https://www.dyingtoknowday.com/. Their website also provides a list of recommended books and other resources, which can be found here: https://www.dyingtoknowday.com/books-podcast-and-movies

But what is a “Human Living Library”?
A Human Living Library is an event at which, instead of borrowing written books, you borrow “Human Books” to have one-on-one conversations with for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. The goal of the Human Library organisation is to “Unjudge Someone”, or to “Not judge a book by its cover”. We invite guests to act as these human books, who can provide you with human insights and answers for your questions.
For more information about the Human Library project, you can visit their website here: https://humanlibrary.org/

About our Human Books:

	John Johnson is a representative for The Groundswell Project, who can provide further information about Dying to Know Day, and the processes and benefits associated with end-of-life planning. They have been a representative of the organisation for 5 years.
	Sally Singleton is a retiree from our Azure Beach community. She has participated in Dying to Know Day activities in the past and can provide a perspective for how it has improved her life, her mental wellbeing, and the preparation and mental wellbeing of her family.
	Aaron A. Aaronson is an older worker here in our Azure Beach main street, and is a well-known member of our community. Whilst not a participant in Dying to Know Day activities in the past, he has been preparing for his end-of-life via creation of a will, fiscal planning, and planning what he wishes to achieve in his life.
	Tara Templeton is a young-adult patient from our Azure Beach Health Services, suffering from a terminal condition. She has been preparing for her end-of-life and has worked with Dying to Know Day groups for the past two years.

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All are welcome, no matter your age or health. If you wish to learn more about end-of-life planning and how to improve your preparations, and that of your friends and family, please be sure to book. Attendance numbers are limited due to the nature of the event.

Some data about end-of-life planning:

Event By Matthew Sproule,
Azure Beach Public Library

Your Mental Health and You

 Your Mental Health and You. 

 

 Did you know 1 in 5 Australians suffer from a mental illness?

And many more of us suffer from mental exhaustion and depression. Mental well-being is key to a happy life, and that's why we at the Azure Beach library are hosting ‘Your Mental Health and You', a human library book event that aims to bring to the community together on a still misunderstood part of our society.

4 human “library books” will be speaking at this event, talking about how mental illness has affected their lives and of those around them. Come listen to their stories, and together we can tear down the walls of stigma around a very serious issue, and learn to love and understand each other, for as we say here at Azure Beach... It's okay to not be okay!

What is a human library book event you ask?

A Human Library is where people become the books. Come down to listen to these "books" and their stories about mental health, and what kind of struggles they went through. You can find more information here at humanlibrary.org

Book now at eventbrite.com.au/YourMentalHealthandYou

Days: Saturday 1/10, Sunday 2/10 and Saturday 8/10 

Starts: 6pm

Ends: 8pm

Where: The Azure Library

Call us at 000-000-000 or find us on our many social media platforms! (facebook, instagram, tik tok) @AzureBeachLibrary

 

 More information: www.beyondblue.org, www.blackdoginstitute.org.au

#depression, #itsokaytonotbeokay, #azurebeachlibrary, #mentalhealth, #yourmentalhealthandyou, #beyondblue, #blackdoginstitute,

                                                                                                                

 Event manager: Cameron Ruffio