The Human Library operates like a normal library, except you borrow a person instead of a book.
We know that books can transport us. They take us to unfamiliar places and into the minds of strangers. It’s part of what makes reading so special. When you borrow a book, you step into another perspective.
But what if you could borrow a human? What would you take away from hearing real stories in person, in real-time? The Human Library sets out to discover just that. The international non-profit connects curious “readers” with human “books” — volunteers from diverse backgrounds who want to share their stories and create dialogue.
A Novel Idea
Established in Denmark by brothers Ronni and Dany Abergel with colleagues Asma Mouna and Christoffer Erichsen, the first “Human Library” event took place in 2000. Over the course of eight days, the event featured more than 50 diverse titles, or volunteers, who were available for borrowing.
By the end of the week, over 1,000 readers had visited the library, leaving their books behind but taking away new information and points of view. As word of the event’s impact spread, so did the interest. The original establishers of the program traveled across Europe to gain participation. Today, the library has been established in more than 80 countries, mostly put on by local community organizers.
When asked about his hand in the creation of the program, Ronni Abergel shared with CNN, “I had a theory that it could work because the library is one of the few places in our community where everyone is welcome, whether you’re rich or poor, homeless or living in a castle, professor or illiterate. It’s truly the most inclusive institution in our time.”
Many Genres of Life
The Human Library hopes to eliminate personal biases one reader at a time. Like traditional books, the volunteer “books” are grouped by genres, categorizing their stories with labels by their personal stories.
You can borrow books from a range of genres, like Survivor of Human Trafficking, Black Activist, Muslim, Christian, Bi-Polar, Transgender, and many more. Each book represents a faction of society that lives uniquely or faces prejudice.
Opportunities for Education
Facilitation of the Human Library offers up valuable education opportunities for new and continuing learners. Today, it’s been put on by universities across the world and at major corporations like eBay, World Bank, Google, and Delta. In an interview with Forbes, Director of Talent and Organizational Development at Masco, Erin Swartout shared that her embrace of the Human Library came from frustrations over traditional corporate approaches to diversity and inclusion.
When Masco put on a virtual library event for employees, she was impressed by the impact it left on her colleagues. “It’s one of those things where you put the pebble in the pond, and you see the ripples,” says Swartout.
Creating Conversations
The goal is to teach readers to “unjudge a book by its cover” by pairing them with books from a different background — a feminist paired with a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, a climate activist with a climate-change denier. An open, judgment-free dialogue is required and allows space for critical thinking and free expression of values and beliefs.
At a Human Library event held in Muncie, Indiana, Charlize Jamieson, a transgender woman served as a book and was paired with a conservative Christian who believed Jamieson’s life was sinful. What began with the reader’s refusal to shake Jamieson’s hand, ended in an embrace initiated by the Christian after going well over their allotted 30-minute talk. “Thank you,” she said, “this has been wonderful.”
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Carley Bishop
Carley is an editorial lifestyle writer and aspiring novelist. She is based in North Carolina where she resides with her husband and their puppy, Daisy, and is a proud graduate of University of South Carolina. Carley is a lifelong bookworm who enjoys reading everything from the classics to modern romances. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys traveling, getting outside and trying new recipes at home.
