A Human Library is an opportunity for people talk one to one with someone who is different from them—whether the difference is related to looks, background, culture, religion, life experiences, sexual orientation, occupation, ideology, health, etc. The book (a brave person willing to share their story) begins by sharing highlights of their story with a reader (a brave, curious person) and then the conversation begins. Conversations last up to 20 minutes and readers’ questions are welcome. The event is organized like a library with volunteer books, a catalog of book titles & descriptions to help readers choose which book(s) they want to read (talk to), librarians to answer questions, a check out table (circulation desk), etc.
The first Human Library was held in Copenhagen in 2000 at a youth rally to promote peace. The Human Library™ Organization now works with libraries and organizations around the world to overcome prejudice and stereotypes by building bridges of understanding through conversation.
For more information please refer to the links below or contact Caroline Anderberg at caroline.anderberg@usd.edu.
The Human Library LibGUIDE https://libguides.usd.edu/humanlibrary
The Human Library™ Organization http://humanlibrary.org
