Interesting

[emmelinemay]

Library offers 'borrow a person' scheme

The idea, which comes from Scandinavia, is simple: instead of books, readers can come to the library and borrow a person for a 30-minute chat. The human “books” on offer vary from event to event but always include a healthy cross-section of stereotypes. Last weekend, the small but richly diverse list included Police Officer, Vegan, Male Nanny and Lifelong Activist as well as Person with Mental Health Difficulties and Young Person Excluded from School. I was there as Gay Man.

Interesting idea! What do you think? Would you hire a person for 30 mins to find out more about them? Would you be a 'living book' in a library? Do you think one person can represent their cultural group in that way? Is this a crazy waste of time, or an exciting initiative to encourage people to learn more about what they don't understand?

Answers on a postcard. Or just comment. Much easier, and it saves you the cost of a stamp.

Comments

[medusa-nw.livejournal.com]

I think it's a fantastic idea. It's a great way to ask people about things without feeling like they'll get upset or you're bothering them.

[purplegril.livejournal.com]

Sounds ace to me. Could be cos I'm completely mental, though ;)

[purplegril.livejournal.com]

I have just read it and agree with one of the commenters, why on earth was that article in the women's section?

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

that sounds like a fabulous idea to me - in an 'I would totally volunteer for that, and if not, go to one' kind of way.

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

What would you be?

I could be 'weird alternative person with weird hair and tattoos' or 'roller girl' or 'brownie leader' :D

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

that I'm trying to think of - dyslexic writer?

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

Librarian!!

[gothicfreakgrrl.livejournal.com]

I would love to do something like this, but have no idea what I'd be!

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

Youth worker?

[vulgarcriminal.livejournal.com]

I love that! I could be a borrowed techie :)

[hiddenpaw.livejournal.com]

That's just given me an idea. One of Radio4's longest running series is Gardeners Question Time. Moneybox Live dose the same sought of thing for personal finance. Why is there no Techie's Question Time. I'm sure it would get a lot of questions. It would have to be on the radio of couse so it could answer questions like Why won't my internet work?*

*With a few added variables to make it not such a stupid question.

PS yes I know it's a telly icon but I've not got round to a radio Icon yet.

[mark13.livejournal.com]

Would they still fine you if you dropped your 'book' in the bath? ;)

[annomalley.livejournal.com]

What a great idea! I don't think one person can represent a group, so the scheme should come with a disclaimer to that effect if it doesn't. For me that would be the whole point, seeing people as whole people rather than limited to the stereotype of whatever group they happen to be "representing" and finding out a bit about what it's like to live with the thing and the attached stereotyping.

Random comment I got the other day: "you've got a really fancy phone for a vegan".

I can think of some people I'd like to borrow.