The Human Library™ Organization is a registered, international, non-profit with administrative headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. The concept of the Human Library was created by Ronni Abergel, Dany Abergal, Christoffer Erichsen, and Asma Mouna of the Danish youth organization Stop the Violence in 2000 and is now operational on six continents in eighty-five countries.
The Human Library™ aims to establish a safe, conversational space where difficult questions are expected, appreciated, and hopefully answered. It was developed to challenge societal prejudices wherever and for whatever reasons they occur and to help people form a better understanding of those with whom they share their communities. The Human Library encourages participants to become "Readers," by checking out a human "Book" on loan. When checked out, the human Book and Reader have a conversation on the topic/issue the book represents; for example, the human Book "Transgender" would talk about stereotypes and prejudices they encounter in their lives and answer any questions the reader may have about the topic. Conversations are not just a story-telling session but rather an experience sharing with Q&A encouraged. Conversations may extend to other areas of the book and reader's lives, potentially leading them to revelations of how they are similar or share similar experiences.
To find out more about the Human Library Organization and Human Library Project, visit their website linked above.
The Human Library experience explained in just one minute:
An overview of the Human Library (Chicago):
Our Human Library event is made possible by the generous support and partnership of:
