It is now 14 months since Mrs Clark, a reader at Newport Pagnell Library, came and spoke to Ann Chesney and Jane Greaves about an article from The Times newspaper. She insisted that Milton Keynes Library should follow this Living Library idea. As a result, Ann and Jane went to the Ideas Store in Tower Hamlets, London, and thoroughly enjoyed the Living Library event there.
After the whole year of nurturing the idea, plucking up the courage, preparing and planning and loads of really weird looks and comments along the way we finally held our first the Living Library event on Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10-4pm. And what event it was!
There were 37 titles on offer and right from the first few minutes Living Books were on loan. By 10.20am 4 titles were borrowed and it carried on right through the day until after 4pm. Every single title was borrowed at least once and the most borrowed title was "Schizophrenia", borrowed 5 times. The total number of issues for the day was 81 and approximately 37 borrowers took part. This does not take account of the Books talking among themselves in the rest meeting rooms. In fact one the Books suggested that the Books should have had official sessions so that they would not be interrupted to be borrowed by real borrowers which meant that their conversations with other books were curtailed!
Ronni Abergel, one of the founders of the Living Library concept, emailed us after the event and congratulated on our "first hosting and on the amazing collection of books available". He also stressed the importance of another outcome "the benefit that Books have from reading each other while waiting to be lent out".
Another event is planned for September 2010.
Here are pictures of some of the 'books' talking to borrowers:
Torpedo Wren and Air Stewardess
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World War II Evacuee
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Astronomer
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Mother of a terminally ill disabled child
"Good Days, bad days"
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New Age Activist
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Starting over - life as an immigrant
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