A new edition of the Mile End Human Library!

Once again, Mile End Memories and the Mile End library are pleased to be partners in a “Human Library” event, which will be held on Sunday March 22, 2015. The event will give you the chance to meet and talk to neighbourhood residents with fascinating stories to tell.

Drawing: Michel Hellman

The first human library was held in Denmark in 2000. Since then, the movement has spread to many countries and several Canadian cities. The human library held in the Bibliothèque du Mile End on September 29, 2013, as part of the Journées de la culture, was one of the first in francophone Quebec. With more than 300 people participating, it was a resounding success.

The way a human library works is that you “borrow” a living book—a neighbourhood resident—for about 20 minutes. The goal is to allow for discussion and dialogue with people from all walks of life, involved in social or cultural activities in the neighbourhood. It’s a way to experience Mile End’s exceptional diversity.

To get an idea of how it works, read about the 2013 event or watch the video.

This year, our “human books” will be the following people:

• Mindy Pollak, member of the Hassidic Jewish community
• Abla Farhoud, writer
• Andy Gryn, longtime friend of Saint-Viateur Bagel
• Joanne Racette, representative of the Mile End Mission
• Patsy Van Roost, « Fée du Mile End »
• Sharon Wilensky, of Wilensky’s Light Lunch
• Ezio Carosielli, owner of the Rialto Theatre
• Warren Wong and Carol Chik, members of the Chinese community
• D. Kimm, artistic director of the Phenomena Festival
• Jason Grimmer, manager of Drawn & Quarterly bookstore
• Jean-Philippe Grou, head of communication and community relations at Ubisoft
• Justin Bur, urban history researcher, member of Mile End Memories

Spokesperson: the comic-strip artist Michel Hellman, who also drew the image above!