A book with his reader. Courtesy, The Human Library Organization
We’re used to going to a library to check out a book. But imagine going to a library to check out a real person! That’s exactly the idea behind the “Human Library.” For humanists, lovers of museums, and library dwellers alike, the Human Library Organization is an international non-profit initiative operating out of Copenhagen, Denmark. Created in 2000 by Ronni Abergel and his brother Dany, the Human Library, or “Menneskebiblioteket” in Danish, is truly a library of people.
The organization hosts events all over the world in which readers can “borrow” human beings volunteering as open books. Visitors may have conversations with the individuals and learn about their life stories: “… Every human book from our bookshelf, represent a group in our society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin etc.”
Originally, the first Human Library event was open eight hours a day over the course of four days, with the opportunity to engage with over fifty varying titles. More than a thousand readers seized on the opportunity to engage with others and challenge their preconceived notions of humanity through dialogue.
Today, the Human Library coordinates thousands of volunteers globally who participate in the hands-on learning platform. The goal, ultimately, is to improve our understanding of human diversity and facilitate more inclusive, unified communities around the world. This is no small feat to be sure, but one of the best ways to break down barriers between people is simply through exposure – and the Human Library achieves this in such a beautiful and creative way.
To learn more, you can visit: https://humanlibrary.org/new-study-on-the-impact-of-the-human-library/
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 6-28-21
