Would you believe me if I told you I research these columns?
On weeks when I’m not ranting about the state of something (mainly our house) or recounting some hysterical antics, I try to investigate what I’m blethering.
Mainly so I don’t spring a dud deal. Journalism this is not, but nobody likes to be spun a yarn.
Imagine my delight when doing ‘the Google’ (other search engines are available), I discovered it is in fact, Libraries Week from October 4 to 11. Unfortunately, by the time you’re reading this with your cuppa, these dates will have passed but we’ll know for next year!
My parents were both great readers when the opportunity arose and my mother would indulge us with frequent trips to our local library.
I remember sitting on seemingly giant orange plastic seats, dangling my legs, enthralled by the lovely librarian reading aloud the story of the week. She had a voice like the Cadbury’s Caramel Bunny and smiled through any scary bits.
Not a mobile phone in sight. No desktop computer bleeping distractions.
Just folks shuffling through a card catalogue, hoping for some clue, with the Dewey decimal system, to help track down their desired publication, before having their chosen read reassuringly stamped and a wee ticket, with the return date, popped into the folder behind the front cover.
The utter thrill when you reached the age allowing you to ‘up’ the number of books you were permitted to borrow.
A gold top day
From one, to two, to 10! Our library was next to the pool where we had swimming lessons, opposite the supermarket and just along from the Wimpy.
It was a gold top day indeed when there was swimming followed by a burger tea and then some books to take home.
My six-year-old self would be aghast at my modern-day love of a Kindle and positively distraught by the volume of library closures due to lazy people like me “swiping to buy” instead of attending in person.
As the days start to feel a little shorter and the weather a little cooler, we tend to lean towards events and activities to help us reconnect and keep spirits lifted.
If, like us, hopping on a plane and heading for sunnier climes isn’t an option, maybe we can find that escape between the covers of our favourite title or even discover a new one?
The marvellous Human Library
Or could we entertain a whole other library concept entirely? A Human Library.
This concept might be new here, but in Copenhagen, Denmark, The Human Library International Organisation, started in 2000 in the truest sense of the word.
It is literally a library of people. In my tiny mind I’m wandering along the shelves hoping to borrow Hugh Jackman, but this is not here for my benefit or musings over Wolverine.
It is an attempt at challenging prejudice. A chance to learn. Bringing hope of greater connection and understanding.
Borrowing actual human beings
Events are hosted where readers borrow human beings acting as open books. Allowing folk to have conversations they would never normally have access to.
All the books are human volunteers. People sharing their knowledge and experience. The borrower gets to listen and gain answers to any questions they ask. Simply fabulous!
Those involved allow the bookshelf to be crammed with insight from groups in society often subjected to prejudice, stigmatisation, or discrimination because of disabilities, upbringing, social status, diagnosis, ethnic origin.
Imagine hearing these stories in person and being able to see first hand the effect it had on your chosen ‘book’?
The best great-uncle ever
My children were lucky enough to know my great-uncle, who enraptured them with his fantastic tales about time in the Navy, being the purser on magnificent ships and procuring loaves of bread for his younger brother (my Papa) who also served.
When he met Nancy Reagan. His love of travel and his pivotal role in Scotland’s hospitality industry.
Had it not been for him bringing these anecdotes to life, they would be lost to us forever.
I’d give anything to read his biography rather than the latest teenage ‘celebrity’ believing they’ve seen it all.
Possibly time for me to hop on a shelf and see who wants to listen to my blethers, I’m predicting getting rather dusty lol…
