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Tips to Inspire Innovation for You and Your Library: Part 1
"In part one of this three-part column, Stephen (Abram) reflects on
his past 25 years since library school and shares insights about what has
inspired innovation in his own life. If your job involves consensus
decision-making, usability testing, or project management, you're sure to
find useful tips to enrich your career and improve your library."
"...So,
as I said, this story got me thinking about proofs to how the unfettered
access to information and information services makes a
difference in our various communities: public libraries, school
libraries, university and college libraries, and special libraries. What is the
real value of public, academic, school, and special libraries? Here are the
highlights of what I found. I’ve included a selected webliography at the end
of the article so you can enjoy more of the reading too.
Article
continues
NextReads is a
subscription email service developed by the creators
of NoveList.
With NextReads, you'll
expand fiction and nonfiction readers' advisory
services beyond the walls of your library, and
beyond the bestsellers. NextReads provides 20
monthly and bimonthly lists for library patrons,
including both fiction and nonfiction genre
coverage, plus two lists created just for library
staff. All lists carry your library's branding and
are easily customizable to your needs, holdings, and
customer tastes.
From: Stephanie Stokes (stephanie
at ssdesign dot .com)
Printable Halloween BOO-marks
Here's a trick to treat all those seasonally-spooky folks that
will visit your library in October.
These beauties come four to each letter-size sheet of paper, are
in Acrobat
format and can be easily copied onto colored card stock and cut
to provide
an assortment of nifty, and ever-so-creepy, bookmarks for
Halloween. The
first two sheets (8 bookmarks) feature classic images such as
Frankenstein's
monster, Wolf Man, Mr. Hyde and other popular ghouls of interest
to students
of movie horror and for the enjoyment of all. The final three
sheets feature
more contemporary images * fun for everyone and great for kids .
Libraries/books/reading finger plays and songs compilation
Storytime
This Is? (flannel board)
This is the card that Scott got.
This is the book checked out on the card that Scott got.
This is the library that lent the book checked out on the card that
Scott got.
This is the mommy that read the book that came from the library that
issued the card that Scott got.
Obviously, you can use the name of anyone in your audience. I use a
copy of our card to hold up to show the kids and any book from your
collection will do.
Picture People
I like to peek inside a book
Where all the picture people look.
(Hold palms up like pages of a book)
I like to peek at them and see
If they are peeking back at me.
(Peek out from behind hands)
Story Stew (Elizabeth Panni)
Story stew, story stew, we're going to make a story stew. (pretend
to
stir)
Story stew, story stew, there'll be enough for me and you. (point to
me
and you)
Tasty adventures go into a stew (add items to pot)
Sometimes a dash of poetry, too.
Stir in some songs both old and new.
We're going to make a story stew.
(repeat first two lines)
Walking Through the Library
(More items might be added. Mime the action to suggest each thing)
Walking through the library
What did I see?
A modern computer beeping
at me, me, me!
Walking through the library
What did I see?
A friendly librarian smiling
At me, me, me!
Walking through the library
What did I see?
Shelves of books waiting
for me, me, me
Opening a book to read What did I see (let children choose and
continue
the game for as long as you and they want to)
Let's go to the library
(sung to the tune of This is the Way we Wash Our Clothes)
Let's all go to the library
The library, the library
Let's all go to the library,
And see what we can do.
Look at books at the library,
the library, the library.
Look at books at the library.
That's what we can do.
Play with puppets at the library . . .
Check out books at the library. . .
Use the computer at the library . . .
(You can vary the first verse too:
Let's all walk to the library...
Let's ride our car to the library...
Let's ride a bike . . .
Let's take a bus . . .
We've Got the World at the Library
(tune of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands")
We've got the whole world at the library,
We've got the whole wide world at the library,
We've got the whole world at the library,
We've got the world at the library.
We've got books about dogs at the library,
We've got books about mice at the library,
We've got books about cats at the library,
We've got the world at the library.
[Give the kids a general topic and let them make specific
suggestions
to add verses-- books about countries: Spain, China, France, etc.,
or just let them add any topic they can think of: books about
sports...about dolls... about stars... this song could go on a lo-oo-ng
time!]
Let?s Go to the Library
*Here is a chanting/clapping rhyme:
"Let's go to the library, the library, the library...
Let's go to the library to see what we can do..."
HAVE THE CHILDREN OFFER RESPONSES such as: read books, go to
storyhour,
play
computer games, meet with friends, etc. and then chant:
"We'll...read books at the library, the library, the library...
We'll read books at the library, that's what we will do!"
Read a Book
We also sing to the tune of Row, row, row your boat
Read, read, read a book
Read along with me - It's story time with all my friends At the
Li-brar-y!
Books in My Backpack
Five books in my backpack, wish I had more
I gave one to my friend, then I had four
Four books in my backpack, funny as can be
I gave one to my brother, then I had three
Three books in my backpack, exciting and new
I gave one to my sister, then I had two
Two books in my backpack, cause reading is fun
I gave one to my teacher, then I had one
One book in my backpack, and I'm KEEPING this one!
I put 5 books in a backpack and pull them out as I say the rhyme and
hand them to kids, on the last line, I hug the last book.
If You Like the Library
sing to "If You're Happy and You Know It"
If you like the library and you know it, clap your hands . . . etc.
If you like books and you know it, clap your hands . . . etc.
I Am a Librarian
I am a librarian, (Point to self)
I check out all the books. (Pretend to stamp books)
Come and visit me real soon (Beckon with hand)
And give my books a look. (Palms together, then open)
All the boys & girls can come (Point to audience)
And check out books for free. (Hold out hands like open book)
I help them find the books they want (Shade eyes, look around)
At the library. (Sweeping motions with arms)
My Book
This is my book; it will open wide, (Palms together, open
outwards)
To show the pictures that are inside. (Point to one palm)
I read about a ball, so big & round, (Make ball shape with hands)
That is tossed in the air & rolled on the ground. (Make these
motions)
I read about an umbrella to keep me dry, (Put hands together above
head)
When the raindrops fall from the cloudy sky. (Flutter fingers
downwards)
I read about a kitty with a loud loud purr; (Say ?meow?)
I?d love to stroke her soft, warm fur. (Make stroking motion)
The More We Read Together (tune: The More We Get Together)
The more we read together, / together, / together,
The more we read together, / the happier we'll be.
For you can read library books / and I can read library books
The more we read together, / the happier we'll be.
Verse 2: For the librarian reads to us / and our parents read to us
We Will Read Books (tune: Queen's We Will Rock You)
Use stomp, stomp, clap (stomp feet) or slap, slap, clap (slap knees)
rhythm
Wha'cha gonna do? Wha'cha gonna do? / Wha'cha gonna do when the
school
year's through?
Gonna hang around the place? Stuffin' your face? / Bein' a slob &
takin' up space?
NO! / We will, we will read books! / We will, we will read books!
Wha'cha gonna do? Wha'cha gonna do? / Wha'cha gonna do when the
school
year's through?
Gonna check out a book, / Take a good look, / It's free, fast, fun,
&
easy to do.
SING IT! / We will, we will read books! / We will, we will read
books!
Wha'cha gonna do? Wha'cha gonna do? / Wha'cha gonna do when the
school
year's through?
WE WILL, WE WILL READ BOOKS!
This is the Story About Storytime (Ginger Payne)
This is the story about storytime.
(Extend arm to indicate children) These are the children gathered
around to hear the story about storytime.
(Indicate a child whose name you know) This is A. J. who smiles and
waves (encourage child to smile & wave) at all the children gathered
around to hear the story about storytime.
This is Destiny who claps her hands for A. J. who smiles and waves
at
all the children gathered around to hear the story about storytime.
This is Sergio who nods his head at Destiny who claps her hands for
A.
J. who smiles and waves at all the children gathered around to hear
the
story about storytime.
This is Mikaela who bounces up and down while Sergio nods his head
at
Destiny who claps her hands for A. J. who smiles and waves at all
the
children gathered around to hear the story about storytime.
Continue until you include all of the children in the storytime
session. If you run out of things for them to do, you can invite
suggestions. End with "This
is the end of the story about storytime."
(Other possible actions: shaking head, rolling hands over each
other,
jumping, marching in place, bending side to side, wiggling hips,
hopping, patting knees, touching shoulders, stomping feet)
Library Chant
This is from Caroline Bauer's Presenting Reader's Theatre Book.
Where do you go for poetry? L-I-B-R-A-R-Y
Where do you go for history? ""
Where do you go if you're old and shy?
Where do you go to learn how to fly? L-I-B-R-A-R-Y
That's how you spell it, whatcha gonna tell it?
It's been in your town for a hundred years.
Let's give the library 3 big cheers:
Hip-hip-hurray! (repeat 2 more times)
F-R-I-E-N-D-S Are we gonna be one? Yes yes yes.
" " " "" "
" " " of the P-U-B-(huh!) L-I-C L-I-B-R-A-R-Y
L-I-B-R-A-R-Y (repeat 2 more times)
That's how you spell it, now what you going to tell it?
It's been in your town for a hundred years.
Let's give the library 3 big cheers:
Hip-hip-hurray! (repeat 2 more times)
When I say library you say card, Library (card) Library (card)
I got one today and it wasn't too hard, library (card) Library
(card)
Big brick building how sweet it looks,
Takes me on in the land of books.
Another user recommended Judy Freeman's book "Hi Ho Librario" which
includes
songs, chants and stories.
Do You Like to Read Books?
Do you like to read books? (point to someone)
I know that I do. (point to self).
Come and sit near me (motion with finger) and I (point to self) will
read to
you!
Read With Me
To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb:
Will you come and read with me, read with me, read with me.
Will
you come
and read with me? At the Hyde Park (put your library's name in)
Library.
This is the Way
To the tune of Mulberry Bush
This is the way we read a book, read a book, read a book. This
is
the way
we read a book
at the Library.
Continue with listen to a story.....and cut and paste.......Actually
add
anything
you want, i.e., stamp the books, use the computer, etc.
Story Time
I stretch my fingers way up high, until they almost reach the sky.
Then I lay them in my lap you see, when it's Story Time at the
library
Library Hokey Pokey
You put your books right in
You check your books right out
You put your books right in
And you shake it all about.
You do the "Hokey Pokey"
And you turn yourself around
That's what it's all about.
This is My Book
This is my book to open wide (Open hands like book)
To see the pictures that are inside.
This is my ball so big and round (Make a circle with fingers)
To toss in the air and roll on the ground. (Toss motion like
bowling)
This is my umbrella to open wide (Make an umbrella above head)
When the rain falls from the sky. (Wiggle hands above head like
rain)
This is my kitty just hear her purr
When I stroke her soft long fur. (Stroke motion on left
forearm)
Here is the Library
Here is the library (Hold up right hand)
On this busy street (Pantomine opening door)
Let?s walk through the door (Shade eyes and look around)
And see who we meet.
The librarian greets us (Wave hand)
With a smile (Make smile with fingers)
And shows us a book (Hold hands as if holding book)
About a crocodile (Form crocodile with hands)
We say, No thanks, That?s too scary (Shake head, Look scared)
She shows us a book (Hold hands as if holding book)
about a tiny fairy (Show how small with hands)
We say Thank you (Nod head yes)
and ask for more
And she gives us a book (Hold hands as if holding book)
About a dinosaur (Show how large with hands)
We check them out (Mime actions)
And take them home (Pretend to carry them home)
We?re delighted to have them (Smile)
On a two week loan (Show two fingers)
Walking Through the Library
(More items might be added. Mime the action to suggest each thing)
Walking through the library
What did I see?
A modern computer beeping
at me, me, me!
Walking through the library
What did I see?
A friendly librarian smiling
At me, me, me!
Walking through the library
What did I see?
Shelves of books waiting
for me, me, me
Opening a book to read What did I see (let children choose and
continue
the
game for as long as you and they want to)
Other Suggestions:
Library Boogie CD by Tom Knight
I sometimes play the song "Library Card" from the Arthur CD. The
refrain is "Having fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card".
Library Song from Tom Chapin's Moonboat
Jennifer Schultz
Children's Librarian
Harris County Public Library--Octavia Fields Memorial Library
PRESS, PROFIT AND
PROVOCATION: LIBRARY
PROMOTION FOR THE
OVER-EDUCATED PART 6
by Tia Dobi
"What makes you unique
makes you successful." -
William Arruda, CEO of
Reach, a recognized global
leader in branding
organizations and the
people who belong to them.
I'm a copywriter. And this
is my confession: You
gotta bulletproof your
business.
Don't believe me? Then try
these latest library
mottos on for size, look
and feel:
Colour and brand are
inextricably linked. Think
of all the brands that
bring a colour to mind --
Tiffany's trademark Robin
Egg blue, Starbuck's
green, UPS' "What can
brown do for you?" Each of
these brands don't just
use their colour -- they
own the colour.
Colour moves us. It sparks
memories and can convey
emotion. In marketing,
colour can determine which
product a customer
selects. A trip to any
market or grocery store
will confirm what retail
merchandisers already
know: colour is an
important component of the
memory we carry about a
brand and it helps us to
select the same product
repeatedly. Colour becomes
a shortcut in the
selection process. We look
for the orange box. The
bright blue bottle. The
red can.
A free reading pack
for every South Australian baby
South Australia's Advertiser Little Big Book Club was officially
launched by the Premier, The Hon. Mike Rann MP on 3 February 2006 at the
State Library of South Australia. To support and encourage parents
to
read to their young children, The Advertiser Little Big Book Club is
offering all parents of babies aged between six and 12 months (over
17,500 babies) a free reading pack.
The pack contains a newly commissioned picture book 'Baby Baby' by Phil
Cummings and Greg
Holdfeld, Let's Read story-time DVD (developed by the Centre for
Community Child Health in partnership with The Smith Family), a library
bag and information for parents including reading lists and tips on
reading aloud. The packs are available from public libraries
and Child and Youth Health Centres across the state. Libraries can
list
their storytime and other activities on the Little Book Club web site.
In the library, near the read aloud corner, is a
large basket filled with stuffed animals. Above the
basket is a sign that says "Reading Buddies", with
the reading buddies rules listed. Students who
listen actively during the story, and/or information
literacy lesson being taught may get a reading buddy
to read with when it is time to select a book.
These reading buddies are a great motivational tool
for behavior management in grades K- 5. The older
students enjoy cuddling with a buddy as much as the
younger ones do (we sometimes tend to forget they
are just kids too)! A gentle reminder to
students, "if they don't shape up, no buddy this
week", gets many of them to do the right thing!
It is important to model how the buddies should be
treated and to stress that the mistreatment of a
buddy will never be tolerated. It is also a
great way to demonstrate the life skills of caring,
cooperation, sharing, and friendship.
Written by Michele Romeo, SLMS in
Training and published in
New Service to Begin Mid-March 2006
Sometime in mid-March, the Denver Public Library will probably be
the first library in the U.S. to offer downloadable movies, which
was mentioned in
Denver
Post and
Rocky Mountain News articles.
Storytimes
Toddlers and preschoolers can enjoy books too! Bring them to storytimes
at the library.
Saturday Live
Join us Saturdays at the Central Library for Saturday Live, featuring
puppets, singers, magicians, storytellers, and all kinds of performers.
Read and Play Time
Share age-appropriate books and toys with your child from birth to 5
years old at Read and Play Time at the Sun Ray Library.
BookPALS/StoryLine Can't make it to the Library? You can call the StoryLine at
952-352-1350 anytime to hear a story read by a
professional actor (recommended for K-6th grade). A different theme is
featured every month and a new story every week!
Visit
the BookPALS site to see which stories are currently being read.
Read
With Me
Dedicated library volunteers read one-on-one with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
graders to improve their reading skills. For more information on signing
up your child or volunteering your talents, please see the
Read
With Me web page, or call 651-642-0343.
Hamilton
Public Library’s virtual bookshelf
now holds 500 e-audiobook titles for borrowing and
downloading, making it the first public library system in
Ontario to launch the service. Launched in partnership
with Ohio-based Digital Library Reserve, Inc., the decision
follows the success of audiobooks in large U.S. library
systems, such as in New York City.
Technology
Innovators
Podcasting is coming to Waterloo Public Library!
‘If you haven't already heard the Waterloo Public
Library has received a grant to produce podcasts!
This is very exciting news. Woohoo for us!...
“It’s an excellent example of Waterloo as an
intelligent community,” says Chief Librarian Cathy Matyas, referring
to the recent recognition of Waterloo as one of the top seven
technological innovators in the world. “The library project uses the
broadband technologies that have grown up in this community to share
local heritage information with both residents and visitors.”’Read
the whole blog post
More
interesting work from the National Library of Australia.
Now FlickR and the
National Library of Australia are embarking on an exciting initiative to offer
individuals the opportunity to include their images of contemporary Australia in
the PictureAustralia service through FlickR. By adding images to this group,
individuals are able to, for the first time, contribute to and enrich a valuable
collection which has so far been the sole domain of large collecting
institutions. This is done by collecting the metadata and thumbnails from this
group and loading them into PictureAustralia each week. [Flickr:
PictureAustralia: Australia Day]
A student at Tufts
writes in his blog about finding the
online databases that the library subscribes
to:
"Really, though there's all kinds of cool
stuff I can get at: the OED, the Oxford
Reference Collection (encyclopedias,
bilingual dictionaries, maps, quotations,
etc.), Lexis-Nexis, the Grove Dictionary of
Music, and seemingly hundreds of other
sources. I guess I figured that we had a lot
of neat stuff, but the breadth and value of
the material here is truly staggering. A
personal subscription to OED Online alone is
$300 a year. Part of me wonders if it's
worth it for our library to pay for all
this, but the other part is screaming at me
to take advantage of it and do a research
project in my spare time."
That's not the best part. Take a look at the
comments....from Tufts librarians! Good on
ya Anna Neatrour and Laura Walters.
Librarians, read your blogs (our at least
set up a
bunch of blog searches).
Patients are being prescribed books instead of pills as part of a new
scheme in Dorset.
People who visit their GP, counsellor or psychologist in Poole are
being recommended books which they can then borrow from any library in
the town. The "books on prescription" scheme is used throughout the UK
for patients with mental health problems, and the book lists are
designed to help them. Borrowers do not have to be existing members of
the library service.
Marketing planning brings
together many current library
initiatives – including
marketing strategies and user
profiling practices. It provides
a framework for understanding
users, developing value
propositions and implementing
these in an effective and
efficient manner. This activity
is understood and devised within
the context of performance
measurement and the required
development in visits, issues
and enquiries. Most importantly,
all planning activity is fully
costed so that return on
investment can be recognised.
Benefits of attending
This workshop will outline
current best practice in
marketing planning and show how
this impacts on management
practices both within academic
library services and other
organisations.
Children' Tea Parties
I have done tea
parties before where I used to work and I always called
it "The Teddy Bear Tea Party." We woould use the party
as the grand prize for the Summer Reading Club for our
Read-To-Me group. We would draw the names of about 20
kids to attend.
I first went to Goodwill and other thrift stores and
bought old cups, saucers and tea pots, enough for 20
kids. They were all mismatched but looked cute set
together on the table. The day of the party I set
the cups on the saucers around the table with the
teapots in the middle of the tables and had very large
teddy bears sitting in some of the seats around the
tables. I served koolaid and cookies and told the
kids to bring their favorite stuffed animal with them to
the party. I made a display on a counter of teddy
bears and books about bears.
During the party, after we had eaten the cookies and
koolaid, we went around the table and I asked each child
to introduce their stuffed friend, then we gathered in
the open space near the tables and played 'Ring Around
the Rosy.' Then it was time for the big event,
when myself and several staff members would act out,
with a few props, "The Three Bears." The kids
always enjoyed these parties and their parents would
dress them all up to attend.
At the end of this two-day course,
participants will be able to:
Define terms relating to blogging
and RSS
Evaluate blogs based on features,
design elements and content
Build a blog from the ground up
Edit your blog using basic HTML
Create and use and aggregated news
feed (RSS)
In a recent issue of Ex
Libris, Marylaine Block suggests using library postcards - include
information about building projects or current promotions and sell them in your
coffee shop.
Send a FREE
TumbleCard - "Change Your
World @ Your Library - Libraries Matter"
FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR
Crafts
Kites-
Make kites from brown paper bags and attached yarn and pictures the kids
had colored of dragons.
Chinese lanterns - fold paper and cut slits half way up then round it
and glue together.
Bookmarks with your Name in Calligraphy
Colour a Dragon Mask
Dragon Puppets -
Use popsicle sticks, chopsticks, or straws on each end and then the kids
can move the head, tail, or both up and down.
Games
Pin the Tail (sticker) on the Dragon
Feed the Dragon (make a dragon head and throw something in its mouth)
Wishing Well
Have kids make a wish and throw lucky gold coins into the well.
If there's two things you don't usually hear together
in the same sentence, it's libraries and video games. Look for that
to change real fast. We've been working long and hard on something
here, but we're now ready to pretty much make the whole deal public,
and what better place then to do it here first?
Article continues
The Web site for the
International Children's Digital Library (ICDL), a project of the University of Maryland
funded by the National Science Foundation and the Institute for Museum and
Library Services, at
http://www.icdlbooks.org has undergone a total redesign and
is now sporting a fresh, new look, according to a University of
Maryland announcement. In addition to a new logo and color scheme, viewers will
find informative updates and enhanced functionality. The new ICDL design is
based on feedback from its volunteer ambassadors, advisors, and local community
members, as well as research with the College Park (Maryland) KidsTeam.
Gaining Mindshare and Timeshare:
Marketing Public Libraries
This presentation is an examination of how the National Library Board had
successfully gained
market share by redefining its market space and remaking the image of libraries
and librarians.
Libraries were repositioned to gain mindshare and timeshare among Singaporeans,
competing
against the cinema, TV, video games and other leisure activities, becoming the
Third Place after
home and work for many.
In love
with science but want to share your passion?
The British Library is to hold its
second ‘Mingle’ evening – an opportunity for anyone
who is single, likes to talk and wants to make
friends.
Following the success of the 2004
‘Mingle’, this is your chance to network with
like-minded individuals and enjoy a drink at a
private view of our 'Beautiful Minds – Capture the
spirit of Nobel achievement' exhibition on Monday 5
December from 18.30 to 21.00.
Paul Miller
explores some of the recent buzz around the concept of 'Web 2.0' and
asks what it means for libraries and related organisations.
Introduction
'Web 2.0' is a hot story out on the blogosphere right
now, with an army of advocates facing off against those who argue that
it is nothing new, and their allies with painful memories of Dot Com
hysteria in the 1990s. Even respectable media outlets such as
Business Week are getting excited, and an expensive conference in
San Francisco at the start of October had to turn people away as it
passed over 800 registrations.
So, is Web 2.0 something real? Does it mean anything
for the way in which we continue to go about our work? Or is it yet
another bubble that will burst if we simply ignore it for a few months?
Article continues
Manager
educates library patrons
Call him a library communications guru. Call him a manager of communications and
public relations. Just don’t call him a librarian
I can finally, finally, finally
announce it! ... we’ve put
together what I think is a pretty
amazing slate of speakers for the
The IFLA Section on Management and Marketing in
collaboration with SirsiDynix has the pleasure to announce
the IFLA International Marketing Award for 2006,
to a library world over which has employed any on-going
marketing project during recent years. The winner gets
airfare, registration fee, hotel charges and per diem and a
cash award of US$ 1000 to further marketing activities in
the library. For details please visit:
http://www.ifla.org/III/
The New York Times Great Read in The
Park will be an entertaining, interactive experience, an event where New
Yorkers can indulge their passion for books and reading. This page-turning
celebration will be packed with events and performances
I was so excited to see an article
on branding in Library Journal last year. I'm so happy any time
libraries think about advertising.
Branding is a difficult concept. It usually makes me think of cattle,
but in the advertising world it encompasses everything from your logo to
the expectations your customers have based on your reputation. The Library
Journal article discusses brand management in which you control the
"experience you provide the customer". Customer service is a
good way to start controlling brand. An example of an organization that
has a bad reputation (and it has been unwarranted on my recent visits) is
the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV is always associated with bad
service. But what does your community think of when they hear the name of
your library?
Article continues
This
report is presented in graphic form and would make useful material for marketing
your library and its value. Print them on bookmarks, postcards or in your
newsletter.
For
a little cash, you can sponsor part of a library Getting your name on
Frisco's new library or one of its bookshelves could be a real possibility -- if
you have the cash. In an effort to raise money for future library facilities
and equipment, the Frisco Public Library Foundation -- a nonprofit organization
formed two years ago -- is asking the city for the ability to sell the naming
rights of the city's library.
"...So,
as I said, this story got me thinking about proofs to how the unfettered
access to information and information services makes a
difference in our various communities: public libraries, school
libraries, university and college libraries, and special libraries. What is the
real value of public, academic, school, and special libraries? Here are the
highlights of what I found. I’ve included a selected webliography at the end
of the article so you can enjoy more of the reading too. Article
continues
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — If you're one of those people
who thinks all lesbians are sexually frustrated or all animal rights
activists aggressive, then a Swedish library project that allows you to
"borrow" a real live human being rather than a book may
provide some useful insight.
The Living Library project will
enable people to come face-to-face with their prejudices in the hopes of
altering their preconceived notions, Ulla Brohed of the Malmoe Library in
southern Sweden told AFP.
"You sometimes hear people's
prejudices and you realize that they are just uninformed," she said.
This weekend, nine people, including
a homosexual, an imam, a journalist, a Muslim woman and a gypsy, will be
available at the Malmoe Library for members of the public to
"borrow" for a 45 minute conversation in the library's outdoor
cafe. Article
continues
Bronwyn
Ritchie's
