"What big ears you have, grandmother!"-- "All the better to listen to a human book with, my dear..."

On the afternoon of Saturday the 16^th of April, Azure Beach Public Library will be holding a Human Library Event as part of the NSW Senior's Festival. This year, the festival theme for is Reach Beyond! 

Here at Azure Beach, we are hoping to reach beyond the many stereotypes and misconceptions that seniors face-- they aren't just grandparents, but travellers, carers and volunteers... they live with disability... they come from different countries and have different religions...

A Human Library is like an ordinary library— except that instead of borrowing a book or DVD, you can “borrow” a person and have a short conversation with them. You can ask them about things that you want to know but may not have felt able to ask. This is aimed at breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions.

At this event, our lovely “Human Book” volunteers will be offering individual “loan periods” for up to ten minutes to discuss issues such as homelessness in the elderly, living as a carer for a person with dementia, and living with Parkinson’s disease. During these sessions, you can ask your “book” any questions you might have— as long as you are open to listening and remember to respect them!

We hope that you will enjoy this interesting event. There are some great conversations in our future…

Details:

2:00 – 5:00 pm, Saturday 16^th of April, at Azure Beach Public Library

To book online, follow this link. Alternatively, you can email km11@azurebeachlibrary.com.au or call Katherine on 9304 2912 if you have any questions.

Please note that booking is limited to 18+ years of age. This event is not suitable for children to attend.

Further information:

Here is a link to the Human Library Organisation website.

Here is a link to the website about the NSW Seniors Festival. 

K Morrison

Image credit: Rawpixel on https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/group-senior-adults-beach_19086421.htm#query=multicultural%20seniors&position=24&from_view=search&track=ais&uuid=5ef17579-7649-404a-b923-db01322fb2ef

To Celebrate NSW Senior’s Festival the Library is Hosting

Don’t Judge a Person by Their Cover

A Human Living Library Event

Come join us at the Library Café on Friday the 9^th of February 2024 from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

Ever wondered what it would be like to walk in someone else’s shoes? Or what it would be like to belong to a minority group within our community?

Everyone has a story and now you can find out by attending our Human Living Library Event! The concept is an easy one: to challenge stereotypes and prejudices and break down barriers within our local community.

During the event you will be able to “borrow” a real-life book, sit back, relax, enjoy a coffee or two, and have an in-depth conversation with this person. Learn about people from the following groups: a person with an Indigenous background, a refugee, a member of the LGBQTI+ community, and a person with a mental illness.

Let’s challenge the social norms and bring together our diverse and exceptional community.

Images retrieved from https://amsterdamian.com/see/photos/a-library-where-the-books-are-people-living-library/

To read and learn more about the Human Living Library click on these links: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Human_Library

https://www.thecuriousreader.in/features/the-human-library-storytelling/

To make a booking click on this link or call the library on 9999 1234 to speak to one of our friendly staff.

Clare Scully

 

Learning Never Ends: Discover lifelong learning! A Human Library Event in collaboration with the NSW Seniors Festival

Creative Commons: Public Domain

Date: 1st February 2024

Time: 9am to 12:00pm (noon)

Where: Azure Beach Public Library ground floor (follow the signs!)

Have you ever told yourself “I’m too old to learn this?” Learning is a life-long activity, but too often we falsely tell ourselves there is an age limit to learning. Come on down to the Azure Beach Public Library for our Human Library Event where you can meet and chat with seniors with a passion for learning.

Whether it’s engaging your creative artistic side, joining a rock band, or dedicating your life to becoming a deep expert in history, our living books will show you that there’s no such thing as too late. 

Human Library

The Human Library project is founded on the principle of unjudging people. Borrow real people as living books for an in-depth one-on-one conversation to learn about their lives in their own words. For more information see the Human Library website at: https://humanlibrary.org/ 

NSW Seniors Festival

The NSW Seniors Festival celebrates the unique contributions of older adults to our communities. We are proud to host this Human Library event in conjunction with the Seniors Festival. Clink the link to find out more! https://www.nsw.gov.au/seniors-festival

Booking

This event is free, but there are limited time slots for "books" as each conversation is limited to 20 minutes. Be sure to "reserve" your book at EVENTBRITE.

 

Wayne Norwood