The Living Library works exactly like a normal library – readers
come and borrow a 'book' for a limited period of time. After
reading it they return the Book to the library and – if they
want – they can borrow another Book. There is only one
difference: the Books in the Living Library are human beings,
and the Books and readers enter into a personal dialogue.The
Living Library was conceived in Denmark in 2000 as a way to
engage youth in dialogue about ending violence by encouraging
people to meet their prejudices and fears in a safe, fun,
facilitated environment. A Living Library requires three kinds
of people: - Books, who openly and honestly represent certain
stereotyped groups (i.e. Feminists, Disabled People, Muslims,
Police, Goths, Gays) - Readers, who check out the Books for
45-minute to 2-hour discussions - Librarians, who facilitate the
whole process The Living Library is inspirational. It's also
well-documented so you can do it yourself. The Council of Europe
youth sector has made the Living Library