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A Human Library… Every Book Its Reader

A Human Library… Every Book Its Reader . Janet Kaufman & Randy Oldham University of Guelph Library. What is the Human Library?. Initiative which began in Copenhagen in 2000

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A Human Library… Every Book Its Reader

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  1. A Human Library… Every Book Its Reader Janet Kaufman & Randy Oldham University of Guelph Library

  2. What is the Human Library? • Initiative which began in Copenhagen in 2000 • “The Human Library is an innovative methoddesigned to promote dialogue, reduce prejudices and encourage understanding. The main characteristics of the project are to be found in its simplicity and positive approach.” • A Human Library is essentially a catalogue of living books

  3. Living Books… “Living books” are people just like us, but… • for different reasons they are subjected to stereotyping and prejudices • they are open about who they are • they are prepared to share their experiences • they are volunteers • they are courageous

  4. Why Hold a Human Library? • Inquiry • Freedom of expression • Diversity • Safe place • Outreach • Media attention and accolades

  5. Guelph’s Human Library • 2 day event • ‘books’ borrowed for 30 minutes • 35 books this year with over 350 available appointments: • Funny, You Don’t Look Crazy • Atheist • Don’t Call Me Faggot • Dykes n Tykes: A Tale of Lesbian Motherhood • HIV Positive • Canadian Soldier

  6. Hurdles • Determining book topics • How to recruit live book volunteers • A scheduling/booking system for the books atomicity

  7. Volunteer Book Form • Requirements: • Name/email address • Book title/description • Send to an email address for processing • Solution: • Coldfusion submission form • CF server handles the emailing in the back end; overcomes the “emailing problem” • CAPTCHA to help prevent spam…

  8. Volunteer Book Form

  9. Volunteer Book Form – On the Cheap… • Don’t know how to code? NO PROBLEM! • Survey Monkey • Poledaddy.com

  10. Reader Registration • Requirements: • Must handle varying availabilities for each “book” • Email reminders prior to booking • Simple to use • Must permit registration of non uog-affiliated patrons • Solution: • 2009: embedded Google calendar

  11. 29 Books = 29 Calendars

  12. Calendar Settings • Calendar settings • Make calendar “public” • Embed…

  13. Calendar Settings • Calendar Settings • Make calendar “public”* • Embed… * Care taken with changing FREE to BOOKED not to include names of readers

  14. Calendar Settings • Calendar Settings • Make calendar “public” • Embed…

  15. Calendar Settings • <iframesrc="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=0kei9i86r91car9lrj4ph00j4s%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Toronto" style="border: 0" width="800" height="600" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> • Take this bit of code and paste it into any .html document between the <body> tags and VIOLA! *bri*

  16. How we could improve… • Manually updated by staff • Huge admin overhead • Not user-friendly OR dynamic (manual updates by staff) spcbrass

  17. Reader Registration • 2010 Solution: • REG, by U of G Student Affairs • Used by many departments on campus • Students familiar with service • Permits non-affiliate registration & booking • Permits varying availability per book/event • Automated email when registering • Permits “WAIT LISTS” • Reminder email 24 hours prior to ‘event’ • Withdrawn books – REG makes easy

  18. “Catalogue” and Links to REG

  19. The Public side of REG…

  20. REG Admin View • Each book @ each time slot is an EVENT… • Each event is restricted to 1 registrant… • We can also see WL, W and email history

  21. Got no REG?  • REG:Coldfusion home grown web app • No REG, NO PROBLEM!! • Open Conference System – for reader registration • Eventbrite – for reader registration • Eventsbot – for reader registration • Drupal Modules: • WEBFORM – for book solicitation • Event – for reader registration

  22. IT Success • This year: • 35 “Books” • 350 individual 30 minute sessions • 10,500 minutes of pure, unadulterated Human Library goodness • 15 volunteers • ‘Librarians’ • Organizers • Web guy • Developer (MATTIE) • Over 300 “readers” • All supported by REG!

  23. Evaluation Books Readers • good/very good experience 100% • 100% of readers were rated as very sincere, quite/very courteous • 30% wanted longer appointments • 100% would return • 99% enjoyed or extremely enjoyed • 99% liked or loved topics • only 2 respondents said they learned nothing new

  24. Front Page – Above the Fold and…

  25. Centrefold

  26. Lots of Media Coverage • local cable tv and Kitchener CTV news • one of our books interviewed for a BBC radio feature • http://www.theontarion.com/2010/03/reading-the-voices-of-the-human-library/ • http://www.theontarion.com/2010/04/newsmaker-of-the-year/ • http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2010/02/human_library_r.html • http://humanlibrary.org/living-library-google-map.html • http://www.westerngazette.ca/2010/03/10/human-library-event-tackles-stereotypes/ • http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2010/03/05/library-of-humans/ • http://www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph/10-02-24/news.shtml • http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article243628.ece • - Video clip VIMEO

  27. Questions & Discussion

  28. Contact Information: Janet Kaufman jkaufman@uoguelph.ca Randy Oldham roldham@uoguelph.ca

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