The Living Library

This page of our website will help you learn more about The Living Library which functions in our stories almost as if it is a separate character.

Country Chapel, A: Chickens and songbirds refer to “A Country Chapel” as the places originally built by people to assemble and worship God. They usually brought their chickens and sometimes other farm animals which could get noisy at times.

People soon learned that they could welcome in songbirds from the world outside as long as they were given special candelabras where they could perch just as they did on trees outside the Country Chapel.

There were two types of Chapel Candelabras found within a Country Chapel: a Story Book Candelabra and a Song Book Candelabra.

A Country Chapel with People and their chickens coming to worship and songbirds perched around outside to provide the music of thanksgiving to The Great Gardener.

The First Bibliothécaire of The Living Library: A chicken from the French countryside was The First Bibliothécaire of The Living Library.

He was definitely forward-looking and helped to move The Living Library from the quaint countryside to the energetic center of culture and knowledge in Paris. As a beloved chicken from a family farm, he was given a name, Henri, but this was seldom used when he lived. He did have a deep love for a hen named Genevieve who had grown up in Paris.

His design stood the test of time for functionality and contained numerous Reading Rooms filled with preserved manuscripts as well as nests for Pages.

The First Bibliothécaire surveying Paris and collecting architectural design ideas. He was especially fond of Notre Dame Cathedral but wanted something less noticeable that would blend into the cityscape.

Entrance to The Living Library Cathedral, The: Hidden away and beyond suspicion perfectly describes The Entrance to The Living Library Cathedral. When Gracie and the other chickens visited Paris, they were guided by The Magpie, an Assistant to The Principalis Bibliothécaire.

The Entrance to The Living Library Cathedral, hidden in an alleyway of Montmartre filled with bookstores.

Cathedral Chapel with Candelabra: In the cities, people built large cathedrals, but the songbirds from the country didn’t easily become acquainted to this change. This led to the addition of Chapels which were smaller and more intimate for worship. The Candelabras also worked just as well with the Cathedral Chapel as they had with the Country Chapel.

Cathedral Chapel with Candelabra: An example of a Cathedral Chapel Candelabra from the time period after Country Chapels were transitioned to Cathedrals.

Living Library, The: When chickens and songbirds refer to “The Living Library,” they mean a world-wide group of songbirds who have the combined task of preserving all knowledge. They save everything known because they do not know which piece of knowledge will be needed in order to save the world from destruction.

Living Library Cathedral, The: The Main Branch of The Living Library is located in Paris, France. It is hidden away to preserve its secrets.

The Bell Tower Within a Bell Tower in The Living Library Cathedral of Paris, France

Principalis Bibliothécaire: The French and Latin title given to The Librarian of The Main Branches of The Living Library in Paris France. In an odd turn of events, Pearl was chosen to assume this title when Principalis Bibliothécaire announced her desire to retire.

Pearl dressed as The Principalis Bibliothecarius in only her imaginative dreaming. She soon found that the title did not come with a rich wardrobe. She had to make her own costume and hat. She also had to dye her beautiful white feathers into a more prestigious color reminiscent of The First Bibliothecarius and also fitting the title.

Maggie, The Magpie, Assistant to The Principalis Bibliothécaire: Magpies have long been the Assistant to whatever bird was serving as The Principalis Bibliothécaire. This was because of their keen intelligence and strong sense of loyalty. It is fair to compare European Magpies to North American Ravens in many respects, although North American Ravens serve a completely different function of defense for everyday chickens.

Maggie, The Magpie meeting Pearl on a street in Montmartre in Paris

Chief Local Librarian: The Leader of the local branch of The Living Library who is assisted by Cataloguers and Indexers. The Chief Local Librarian reports to Le Bibliothécaire Principale of The Main Branch in Paris, France.

The Chickadee in the crabapple tree, acted as a greeter to bird visitors before leading them in to see The Chief Local Librarian. Actually The Chickadee was The Chief Local Librarian, but used this trick to uncover secrets and plots against The Living Library.

Pages of The Living Library, A: Any songbird who is part of The Living Library and remembers and recites important facts is called “a Page.” Each Page must select a particular area of interest and then collects as much information as possible about that chosen topic.

Pages of The Living Library in the Churchyard Cemetery finding friendship and shade beneath a blossoming crabapple tree before heading to the church tower to meet with the Chief Local Librarian

Robin, The: The first of the chickens to meet anyone from The Living Library was Gracie. The Robin saw her pretending to dance ballet in The Backyard Garden and offered to teach her more about ballet. Later she would share with Gracie that she was actually a Page of The Living Library and explain the job of The Living Library and how they always helped chickens first because of all birds, chickens live closest to people and have the best chance of helping to stop the destruction and chaos desired by Professor Accipiter and The Absence of Love.

The Robin, a Living Library Page who specialized in ballet and other performing arts posters. She taught Gracie the poses of a ballerina, and then Gracie figured out the “joining together” movements for herself.

Laughing Gull, The: Pearl was not a very popular chicken within The Backyard Flock, but when she met The Laughing Gull, he became her greatest admirer almost instantly. As a Page of The Living Library, he had difficulty choosing a topic of interest, but he did know that he liked trash a great deal, and selected that as what he selected as his topic. When it was discovered that he studied trash in two places visited by The Sewer Rat, Professor Accipiter’s one and only friend, The Laughing Gull was assigned to collect as much information as possible about The Sewer Rat and Professor Accipiter.

The Laughing Gull at one of his favorite places along the waterfront harbor.
The Laughing Gull at The City Dump where he was often sure to find an especially smelly lunch to share with The Sewer Rat.

David, The Barn Owl: It was rare for a large predatory bird such as an owl to be a Page of The Living Library, but David was a rarity for many reasons. He had a keen eye for never getting lost, but maps were not his topic of study. David was an expert in animated cartoons and newsreels. This was because he lived in the balcony of the Movie Theater downtown and traveled with Gracie and the other chickens to Paris, France. He helped to be their guide.

David, The Barn Owl mapping out Montmartre and then the City of Paris
David, The Barn Owl waiting for a Starry Nightfall so he could find a Movie Théâtre in which to compare French animated cartoons with those from America.