Visit the Living Library

Published on July 16, 2024

Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Don’t judge a book by its cover. That’s an adage most of us have heard since childhood and sound advice that the Mayor’s Disability Awareness and Accessibility Review Board (DAARB) will highlight with a special event, Living Library, to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What is a Living Library? Like a traditional library, it offers a range of titles and topics. The difference is that the “books” are real people with whom visitors will engage in conversation rather than read. Eight individuals with different disabilities will share their unique lived experiences in a safe space for conversation and questions. The Living Library is an open and inclusive environment meant to break down stereotypes and dismantle misconceptions through the power of human connection.

The Living Library will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Sertoma Park, 4300 South Oxbow Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57106. This event is free and open to the public, with no registration required. Cold treats will be available for purchase from the SDSU Ice Cream Truck, and interpreters will be available. For ADA accommodations, please contact the Human Relations Office at 605-367-8745 or humanrelations@siouxfalls.gov at least 72 hours in advance.

For more information, please call the Human Relations Office or visit the Living Library event page on siouxfalls.gov. Join us in celebrating the ADA by checking out a “human book.”