SLJ Talks to Living Library Founder

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Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 6/18/2008 2:10:00 PM

Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. They’re all still alive and well. But the Denmark-based Living Library hopes to combat prejudices and stereotypes by loaning real people—at 30 minute intervals. Think of a normal library—but instead of books, users borrow a Muslim, a transgender person, or a political refugee. The idea is the brainchild of Ronni Abergel, a Danish antiviolence campaigner, who has taken his Living Library to nearly two dozen countries, including Australia and Turkey. The good news is he’s heading back to the U.S. soon. If you're interested in having a Living Library session at your branch, take a look at his guide, "Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover."

How did you come up with such a fabulous idea? 
It was in 2000, during our preparations for the Roskilde Festival [Denmark's largest annual music festival]. As founder of the Danish youth organization Stop the Violence, I wanted to do something that would make people see each other in a different light. We thought that if people who believed they where opposites actually sat down and talked to each other about their perceptions, then we could actually prevent a lot of violence among young people. We realized that through understanding comes tolerance and with tolerance for differences, it’s possible to achieve respect for diversity and engage people in the community.

Who are the most popular "books" that are taken out at the Living Library?
There are some "global" bestsellers but each country has its own bestseller titles. Recently, in London, it was an ex-homeless person. A few weeks before that, it was the ex-gang member. It differs depending on the setting, context, and target group.

What were some of the most memorable encounters? 
Some of my strongest personal experiences have been abroad, at events in Hungary and Portugal. Both readers and “books” who had heard that I was one of the four founders of this group came up to me to say how amazing they felt it was. Some were borrowers and others were volunteers, and they told me they were incredibly moved by the experience. The hair on my arms stood up just seeing the looks on their faces as they explained how some of their long-standing questions were finally answered. “Books” who have been persecuted are especially thankful for the opportunity to be understood, heard, and recognized.

Did you ever volunteer as a "book" based on your experience as an advocate of nonviolence?
Yes, several years ago, and a seven-year-old boy “checked me out” with his father. He wanted to know something about why people commit violence and what makes people fight. We spoke about the effects of alcohol on some people. I enjoy a beer now and then, but some people drink and become aggressive, I told them. As I explained this, the little boy looked at me and said that he knew all about that from his father—who was sitting next to him. He said his father was aggressive at home and was borderline violent with his family. The situation was much better now that his father stopped drinking, but the boy wanted me to tell him what he could do to support his father in his efforts not to drink. He wanted to understand why his father was angry and how he could make him happy.

I tried to tell him that telling his father how he felt was the best start. And then I noticed the tears running down the cheeks of his father, a 40-ish Hungarian man. Not having realized how his drinking problem had affected his son, he was touched by the moment and told me afterwards that his son had never spoken to him about the past and the problems they had been through. It made me think that the Living Library creates a setting that has an immense potential for creating meaningful social interaction.

What responses have you gotten from both your “books” and their “borrowers”? 
Very often people recognize that they’ve gained new information—and even new perceptions—after sitting down with “books.” I’ve seen heated discussions and one confrontation in eight years.

Do you host Living Libraries in schools and places where kids hang out? 
We have already done Living Libraries in schools, where students have pre-booked titles in advance and take them out in pairs or threes. It works great and has an enormous potential. This is the next sector we are looking at to establish more activities.

How many "books" do you typically have on hand?
All books are volunteers. The amount of books on offer depends on the event and can vary a bit. Some only have four or five “books,” which I think might be too few to really give any dimension to it. Currently, we’re planning the world’s largest selection of 250 validated common stereotypes and prejudices, but we still need to finalize funding before we can announce it. The standing record is 75 books from the original Living Library in Roskilde. Books typically work all day and have breaks. Five to seven hours a day is the norm. Getting volunteers is very easy. Everybody loves the idea, but the most challenging is to recruit the right books.

I know you present in real libraries. Has any library ever turned you down?
Not really. Some just never responded, like the New York Public Library and the San Francisco Library. They just ignored our offer. Everyone else always said yes to our offer—including parliaments, festivals, shopping malls, libraries, book fairs, and educational institutions. We’ve presented all over, including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Hungary, Finland, France, England, Portugal, Greenland, and Romania.

Why has it taken so long to get to the United States? 
Why?  Because even though it’s not expensive, it does cost money to host and organize. And it’s not easy finding this money and finding the time and volunteers to reach out across the globe. We’re trying now but need more funds to reach our goal of making the Living Library a success in the states. If you can think of obvious interested parties, let me know.

Are you planning to come back the U.S.? 
At the moment, we’re in talks with libraries in California, New York, DC, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, and Kentucky. More to follow, I am sure, but it will be at least two months before we can announce anything.