UNMC’s McGoogan Health Sciences Library and the University of Nebraska at Omaha's Criss Library are partnering on an event known as the Living Library to be held this spring.
The Living Library is a two-part series in which people from a variety of backgrounds act as "human books" to share their experiences. Participants at the events check out these human books for one-on-one conversations.
The events allow people from different backgrounds to come together in a safe space, engage in candid conversations and foster empathy and connection with other people in the community.
The Living Library at UNMC will be held on March 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a short training session at 10 a.m. before the event. The event at UNO will be April 7 from 4 to 7 p.m., with a short training session at 3 p.m.
The application will allow participants to choose which event to attend, to act as a human book or both. In consideration of their time and emotional labor, people acting as a human book will receive a small honorarium. Please contact either Jess King or Erin Painter.
The events will be held in-person. Participants from other campuses can either attend in person or join through Zoom.
"We are excited for McGoogan Health Sciences Library to be the site for the first Living Library at UNMC," said Emily Glenn, associate dean of the McGoogan Health Sciences Library. "With McGoogan Library’s focus on empathy, communication and humanities outreach this year, this program is a core event for engaging the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community. We look forward to uplifting the voices of ‘books’ and welcoming their ‘readers’ to engage in meaningful conversation in our spaces. This event is just one way that UNMC works with other NU system libraries to engage learners and maximize the impact of our shared resources."
The library is looking for people from the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community with a variety of experiences to share their story. Have you started your own business or organization? Survived an eating disorder? Are you navigating medical school as a BIPOC individual? Are you a political activist? These are all examples of experiences that can make great human books. Whatever your story, you are invited to apply by the Jan. 21 deadline.
Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee selection as a human book.