Los Medanos College’s Books Alive! Event is back again this semester on Nov. 11 from noon to 2 p.m. in Room L-109. This semester the focus is on careers. About 15 people from the local community, including LMC staff and faculty will be giving advice about their careers in L109.

The idea originally came from The Human Library, an international organization that began in Copenhagen, Denmark. Librarian Christine Kromer got the idea for this event from an NPR report while driving two years ago. She brought up the idea to the librarians and they thought it was a great idea.

The library has been hosting the Books Alive! every semester since spring 2014. “Transfer and Career Services and the LMC Library are co-hosting Books Alive!: Careers 2015,” said Kristin Conner, Director of Transfer and Career Services. Transfer and Career Services has been assisting in recruiting people to volunteer to be books and promoting it across campus.

The event “provides the opportunity for patrons [students] to check-out human books [career professionals] and have 20 minute conversations about current jobs, career paths, educational paths and how majors relate [or don’t relate to their current work],” said Conner.

Some of the careers will include a nurse, a firefighter, a college chancellor, and a high school principal.

“I decided to become a ‘book’ at two different Books Alive! [events] because I was interested in the concept and thought it would be a worthwhile experience,” said Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Marie Arcidiacono.

Students will be able show up to the event and check out a book for 20 minutes. They can renew once as long as there is no one else that requested the book.

“I thoroughly enjoyed both Books Alive! events I participated in. It was really fun to have people “check-out” my title and then engage in meaningful conversations with the library patrons,” said Arcidiacono.

“We always get positive feedback from participants after the event,” said Christine Kromer.

So far, there has been an interest in the Books Alive! this semester. Many people have applied to volunteer their time to give career advice as a book.

“We have had a number of people fill out application forms and ask for additional information about the event,” said Christine Kromer.

“I think everyone should attend Books Alive!, you never know what you will learn from a living book! A huge ‘Thank you’ to the Library staff for their efforts to bring this event to LMC,” said Arcidiacono.