In a living library, the “books” are people willing to share a page or a chapter of their lives with someone who “borrows” them for a short period of time. This type of activity reduces stigma and promotes a more nuanced and embodied understanding of mental health and mental health disorders. It incorporates the concept of a traditional library, complete with librarians, a catalog featuring short summaries of the available “living books,” library rules, and a themed setting.
In collaboration with the Association québécoise pour la réadaptation psychosociale (AQRP), several institutions of higher education have offered this opportunity to their student bodies, for example:
- Cégep Garneau
- Cégep de Saint-Laurent
- Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
- Université Laval
AQRP has also developed a guide to help organizations implement such activities in their communities.
This tool was presented at the Journées de transfert de connaissances sur la santé mentale étudiante, organized by ISMÉ in March 2024.
Speaker :
- Laurence Caron, Assistant Director, Association québécoise pour la réadaptation psychosociale (AQRP)
⏱️ 48 minutes
Note: As agreed with the participants in the SME Days, questions and comments from the audience do not appear in this recording. These segments were edited out of the video.
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