This year’s Human Library at WOMAD turned out to be a complete sell-out, or should that be borrow-out? There was an overwhelming response and most books were completely booked out from day one, with queues forming to read the book descriptions and readers spilling out into the surrounding areas in the Arboretum.
Conversation in the yurt
Our beautiful yurts
'Sikh or Freak'? and Librarian
Vegan, Sikh & Graveyard Master all being read at once!
Some books were so well thumbed that they decided to do extra shifts! The Librarians kept everyone in order & tried to fine the readers if they returned books late but the festival atmosphere prevailed and these turned into hugs. Blessed with good weather, throbbing reggae, open-air choirs & great bagels from next door we are itching to do it all over again next year.
Difficult to say who the best-sellers were but ‘Sikh or Freak’ was very eye-catching, the Artistic Spasser got her readers to make fluttering fabric labels hanging in the tree, the Alternative Historian and Psychiatrist were much in demand and the Graveyard Master had some great anecdotes from her readers! You can download a full list of book descriptions here and see the slideshow & gallery here.
Roll on 2012, WOMAD’s 30th year & the Library’s 3rd.
Librarian looking after potential readers
conversations.....
Human Books @ WOMAD 
Time flies by & I haven’t asked any of you lovely books for feedback yet….. email to follow, plus some videos too!
Womad 2011 showed us once again how popular and important the Library is to readers…and books. As the Rapid Cycle bi-polar book, I have become aware over the 2years of how people need to have direct contact with the subject matter which each book offers. We each create not only access to information, but a form of counselling, a means of allying fears, removal or clarification of misunderstanding and half truths. I have had people at the end of their tether, terrified that they have no future or hope, partners who have a loved one they can no longer relate to and don’t know where to turn. I have come to realise the huge gaps we have within our health system when it comes to the practical day to day support people need in order to survive, and most importantly have hope…to know that they are not weird or social pariahs.
The Library and what we are doing is not just an entertainment, but a practical blue
print for a service which should exist within all communities.