When we search for some knowledge and information we often go to the library. It is usually very quiet and peaceful. But exist also another kind of library, the one full of knowledge but in the same time full of life and fruitful discussions. It is "Living Library".

The Living Library Project was organized for the 4th time. After being held twice in Barışarock and once in GePGeNçFeSTiVaL, this time took place on the 25th and 26th of September in the Sivil Sesler Festival (Civil Voices) in Maçka Park. According to the agreement signed by TOG with the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture, it was the first from three libraries that would be organized with cooperation of these two organizations.

Umut Karapece, the Living Library project coordinator described the project:

We want to give people chance to gain some knowledge, to encourage the ones who in everyday life do not have chance to speak with HIV positive or transsexual to do it. In the country like Turkey it is not easy to be different. We want people to learn about the otherness and maybe in this way enable them to understand differences and get rid of prejudices if they have some. I am happy because I see that it is working. This was the fourth "Living Library" so we were relaxed and well organized. Also the books were more relaxed. On the one hand it is good, but one the other, there was no excitement we had before. That is why I am thinking about refreshing the library a little bit, adding new books, for example the EMO Book (the member of a new pop-culture group that became visible during last few years ed.). But first we need to do research what kind of books people want to read nowadays. The next "Living Library" Project will be held during the TÜYAP Book Fair in Istanbul. I already know that this project will be more difficult but also more challenging. The people attending the Book Fair will be from different social backgrounds, with different political views and sometimes with the harsh opinions about the issues we discussed in the Library but I am looking forward to it.

Usually people judged the book by its cover but in the Living Library they realized, sometimes unexpectedly, that they start to see the things from more deeper perspective.

Kenan, the Blind Book said:

I came here to change people's opinion. Now, the ones that spoke with me know that the blind person can do everything. Before they think that the life of a blind man has a lot of limits. What is interesting and nice for me, is the fact that I had mainly women-readers and all of them wanted to know how my relations with women look like, also in the sexual aspect. I keep on telling them, that I just do not see but despite it I am just normal man and I can do everything. It is not the first "Living Library" for me and I feel that after these few years the attitude towards blind people has changed.

Öznur, the Barmaid Book is taking part in the project also for the 4th time.

Sometimes people just ask about the cocktails but sometimes, as there is a strong conviction that the barman is a person that have the ability to listen to the others, a kind of a psychologist, they started to tell me about their personal problems.

Tulin, the Feminist Book said:

All of my readers were men. They were sharing with me their stereotypes, usually the most common ones. The only problem was, that sometimes, they were just speaking, not listening what I was saying.

The HIV-positive Book commented:

The talks are not tiring, a great pleasure for me. Sometimes people are really shocked when they see me. They do not expect the HIV-positive to look like me, to have beautiful and healthy appearance. I noticed that readers were not afraid of me and did not ask unpleasant questions. They were really listening and talking to ME, not to a HIV-positive person. The thing that makes me happy is that the conversation with me can really change somebody's opinion.

One book said:

Sometimes it is not easy to explain some things, when people asking, why are you the way you are, like you could change it easily, for example your sexual orientation just by clicking some button On/Off.

Some Books said, that being a book does not mean that they do not have any prejudices or do not believe in stereotypes about the others. They claimed to be people who has their own opinions about different issues.

One of the reader, Seval, emphasized:

I read the Alevi Book. I know this “The Book” for many years, it is my friend. But till now we did not speak about Alevism. I do not know why. Now, we will start to talk about it.