5. Designing Empathy Experiences

Sneha Arvind
May 19, 2019
5 min read

Updated: Jul 28, 2019

Putting myself in children's shoes to gain a more visceral understanding of the library experience

Note to Self:

Focus on self and be reflective throughout the experience. Pay specific attention to emotional triggers as they often have the most lasting impact on children.

Plan

What do I want to learn more about?

How does it feel like to...

...perform a repetitive set of tasks for 6 hours at a stretch while attending to children at the same time?
...choose an interesting book to read in a time crunch from a library that has no signs or navigation?
...be compelled to attend the library lesson and choose a book to read every week despite being completely disinterested in leisure reading?
...be in an environment where you are being asked to be disciplined and silent throughout and told off by authority if you don't follow?
...be a picky reader and be compelled to rent out books every week from a library that does not have books of your interest?

How may I learn?

...perform a repetitive set of tasks for 6 hours at a stretch while attending to children at the same time?

Work as a librarian for an entire day in the local school library.
Volunteer to work at the counter in a school canteen during recess/break time when children come in to buy food.

...to choose an interesting book to read in a time crunch from a library that has no signs or navigation?
...to be in an environment where you are being asked to be disciplined and silent throughout and told off by authority if you don't follow?

Experience the 35-minute library lesson in school as a 7th grader eager to rent out an interesting book(s) to read for a week. This is an experience that allows me to understand the behaviors described in both the second and fourth bullet point.

...to be compelled to attend the library lesson and choose a book to read every week despite being completely disinterested in leisure reading?

Booking a personal trainer and scheduling a boxing class once-a-week to help yourself be more fit.
Taking time out every day for a month to log in my daily expenses and therefore track my monthly expenses.
The aim the aforementioned experiences is to understand what it feels like to do a task that you know is good for you but just can't get yourself to do it with interest.

...to be a picky reader and be compelled to rent out books week after week from a library that does not have books of your interest?

Buy a membership at a local lending library and restrict myself to only choose books from a section I am not interested in (Maybe Botany/Zoology etc.)
Shop for clothes at a store/from a brand that sells clothes that I would not wear or isn't my style. (Maybe an Omani traditional clothing store)

Chosen Experience 1

I have chosen to experience the 35-minute library lesson in school as a 7th grader eager to rent out an interesting book(s) to read for the next week.

This experience will allow me to understand what it feels like to borrow a book in a time crunch from a library with very little navigation or signs. In addition, I will also experience what it feels like to maintain discipline and remain silent under the supervision of the librarian and the teacher-in-charge in this library setting.

8th grade children seated at their school library during their weekly library lesson

How am I going to do it?

I will join the children of a 7th-grade class during their library lesson at school. I specifically chose a class that knows me and is used to my presence now as I did not want them to become too conscious if I film the experience. It is important to note that their library lesson is the last lesson of the day so some time is spent packing and arranging bags outside the library which is not usual for all other classes.

What objects do I need?

1. Phone Camera

2. ID Card

3. School Bag

4. A Library book to return during the experience

Experience 1 Highlights

The following film shows my experience attending the weekly library lesson at Indian School Al-Ghubra as a 7th Grader. The purpose of this film is to immerse my viewers into my experience as well to inspire action.

Experience Map

Reflection

I felt the lack of intimacy in the whole experience. Lack of intimacy with books, with the space, with the librarians. When I go to a bookstore to buy a book, I am inspired by the authors, I am curious and excited to gain knowledge looking at the numerous books. I could discuss, ask for help, spend some time with the book and then make an informed decision to buy it or not. But the general atmosphere in the school library and the lack of time didn't give me the emotional space to feel inspired. I also didn't feel like anyone in the room genuinely cared about gaining knowledge and appreciating literature. Everyone was too caught up in procedures. I craved guidance but librarians felt unapproachable.

Chosen Experience 2

To be a library assistant for a 35-minute library lesson

The aim of this experience is to learn how children respond to guidance offered to help them choose a book of their liking. In addition, I would also like to learn a more on what children look for while choosing a book to borrow.

Experience 2 Highlights

"What kind of books are you looking for?" I asked. "Ma'am, we want an interesting book" they said.

"What is your interest? I'll help you find the book." I probed further and in response, there was a long pause and a black stare. Children were surprised that someone showed genuine care for what they wanted to read and was willing to help them find it.

When I probed them further on what specific genre they were looking for, humor was in popular demand. I followed the signs to look for the humour section in the library only to find adventure books stacked there instead. Upon asking the busy librarian, she vaguely directed me to a humor section meant for 4th graders situated in the bottom most shelf in the corner of the first aisle.

"We've read those books, they aren't funny." the 11 year olds said.

The children asked me to give up while re-inforcing their opinion that the school library did not have good books to read.

Failing to help them with humor, another child asked me about Astronomy. I searched the shelves to find that most non-fiction, informative books were not assigned to be borrowable. I encouraged the child to ask the librarian if he could lend it for the week despite the situation and he refused with a stammer.