MEDIA RELEASE Monday 10 May 2010

Books Come Alive at Yarra Plenty Regional Library

Yarra Plenty Regional Library users will be able to borrow human 'books' to find out
more about people in the community
Books come alive this Library and Information Week (Monday 24 May until Sunday 30 May)
when the library launches its new Living Library.
Library visitors are invited to ‘borrow’ a living book for an interesting one-on-one chat session
and hear about their fascinating life stories.
The 'books' are a group of sixteen volunteers who will make themselves available for loan for
chat sessions of up to 20-minutes. The ‘catalogue’ includes a gold miner, former nurse in
Communist China and an environmental activist.
Acting Reading and Literacy Coordinator Blaise van Hecke says the idea of a Living Library is
for visitors to the library to spend time with interesting people and discover their life stories,
motivations and essentially “walk a mile in their shoes”.
“Living Libraries are a proven means of connecting and strengthening local communities
through conversation. They promote understanding and often assist in dispelling negative
stereotypes,” Ms. van Hecke said.
Ms. van Hecke says the Living Libraries idea has been used overseas and in other parts of
Australia with great success in terms of breaking down stereotypes.
The Living Library will be open at Mill Park Library on Thursday 27 May from 6.30pm –
8.00pm, featuring environmentalist Peter Roberts, lifelong learner Allan Gray, artist Jim Feltis,
journalist Saji Nithi and Malaysian immigrant Arthur Yong.
The Living Library will also be open at Rosanna Library on Wednesday 26 May from 6.30pm -
8.00pm and Ivanhoe Library pm Thursday 27 May from 2.00pm – 4.30pm
The Living Libraries program will be launched at Watsonia Library on Monday 24 May at
6.30pm. At the launch, living ‘books’, including co-founder of Barefoot Magazine Anna Foletta,
world traveller and performance poet Steve Smart and YPRL Chairman Cr. Lewis Brock, will be
interviewed live in front of an audience.
For more information and to book chat times with Living Books, see
http://www.yprl.vic.gov.au/livinglibrary or pick up a brochure at your local branch.
-ENDS-
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

• An interview and photograph with a Living Book at Mill Park Library

For further information:

Suzanne Male
Marketing & Media Coordinator
Yarra Plenty Regional Library
Phone: 9401 0755
Email: smale@yprl.vic.gov.au