NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
Angelique Doyle smiles for a photo in front of the human library book selection showcase at the Medicine Hat Public Library. She has been volunteering as a human library book for approximately three years, and says the face-to-face interactions are her favourite part of the job.
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker
The Medicine Hat Public Library is home to thousands of books hard cover and paper-back books, but is also home to a small collection of human library books.
Angelique Doyle has been a human library book since 2014, and has people check her out of the library for interview sessions, where she gives information and advice on her two areas of expertise, laughter yoga and vision boarding.
“Being a human library book is exactly what it sounds like, someone checks me out of the library for an hour, just like anyone can with a book and a library card,” she said.
After hearing about the program, Doyle chose to inquire about it, and how to become a volunteer for it, she says she got hooked once she got the details.
“Once I heard what being a human library book was all about, I knew I was in,” she said. “This is just a great avenue for people to get information, and learn about something new.”
The biggest advantage, and Doyle’s favourite thing about the program is her ability to talk to people and gave a one-on-one conversation with them.
“The face-to-face interaction is one of the best parts about this,” she said. “Rather than just sitting on a computer and reading about these things, they can make a connection with a person, which I think is very helpful to people.”
Doyle says laughter yoga and vision boarding have had a very large impact on her life here in Medicine Hat, and hopes sharing her stories with people can have a positive impact on them.
“Laughter yoga saved my life, it really did,” she said. “Being able to share my stories with people can be really impactful, and if someone is going through what I went through with depression, maybe laughter yoga can be their cure, who knows?”
