I was overwhelmed to hear about this concept from a close friend and thought of sharing here in my blog for all my readers.
While some libraries are ditching their books in favor of the laptops, e-readers, and mp3 players, there’s another library idea that believes stories are much better shared when they come from the source. At the Human Library, you actually borrow people.
The concept is simple – instead of checking out a book, you “borrow” a person who has stories to tell gathered from a unique life experience. For half an hour, you can sit down with someone like a prostitute, a politician, a designer, or a religious preacher – all of whom have incredible stories to share.. and unlike a book, they’re able to answer your questions and tailor the storytelling experience to you.
This unique idea of checking out humans started in Denmark in 2000 (by an youth-based nonprofit, Stop The Violence) as a way to curb youth violence, and has since grown into an international project to promote compassion, understanding, and knowledge between people of all kinds. The project has worked so well that some cities have even set up permanent, award-winning libraries. The first US Human Library took place in Santa Monica Public Library in 2009.
The thought is – lets people check out “interactive books” for half an hour–but the words are coming from humans that volunteer to tell their tales.
Readers peruse the library catalogue and select an experience to hear about–Child Of The Holocaust Survivors, The Gypsy Tale, Iraq War Veteran, and Orphanage Boy, are examples of story titles offered.
With library card in hand, readers are led to a discussion area to meet their book and hear the tale, cover to cover.
The Human Library was a project intended to start conversation and foster understanding between different types of people that would normally not interact with each other.
“The purpose is to challenge what we think we know about other members of our community,” reads the Human Library Facebook Page. “To challenge our stereotypes and prejudices in a positive framework, where difficult questions are accepted, expected and appreciated.”
The first Human Library event was hosted at the Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen. One of the largest summer festivals in Northern Europe, its theme focused on community activities to help stop growing levels of violence and bias in the area. Now the project has spread to over 70 countries across the world.
If you feel like you’ve got a bestseller inside you, check out the Human Library http://humanlibrary.org/ to see if there are events happening near you–with no late fees involved.
Victor Ghoshe
20-07-2016
Photo Courtesy: goodnewsnetwork.org; yongestreetmedia; roadtrippers.kinja.com
While some libraries are ditching their books in favor of the laptops, e-readers, and mp3 players, there’s another library idea that believes stories are much better shared when they come from the source. At the Human Library, you actually borrow people.
The concept is simple – instead of checking out a book, you “borrow” a person who has stories to tell gathered from a unique life experience. For half an hour, you can sit down with someone like a prostitute, a politician, a designer, or a religious preacher – all of whom have incredible stories to share.. and unlike a book, they’re able to answer your questions and tailor the storytelling experience to you.
This unique idea of checking out humans started in Denmark in 2000 (by an youth-based nonprofit, Stop The Violence) as a way to curb youth violence, and has since grown into an international project to promote compassion, understanding, and knowledge between people of all kinds. The project has worked so well that some cities have even set up permanent, award-winning libraries. The first US Human Library took place in Santa Monica Public Library in 2009.
The thought is – lets people check out “interactive books” for half an hour–but the words are coming from humans that volunteer to tell their tales.
Readers peruse the library catalogue and select an experience to hear about–Child Of The Holocaust Survivors, The Gypsy Tale, Iraq War Veteran, and Orphanage Boy, are examples of story titles offered.
With library card in hand, readers are led to a discussion area to meet their book and hear the tale, cover to cover.
The Human Library was a project intended to start conversation and foster understanding between different types of people that would normally not interact with each other.
“The purpose is to challenge what we think we know about other members of our community,” reads the Human Library Facebook Page. “To challenge our stereotypes and prejudices in a positive framework, where difficult questions are accepted, expected and appreciated.”
The first Human Library event was hosted at the Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen. One of the largest summer festivals in Northern Europe, its theme focused on community activities to help stop growing levels of violence and bias in the area. Now the project has spread to over 70 countries across the world.
If you feel like you’ve got a bestseller inside you, check out the Human Library http://humanlibrary.org/ to see if there are events happening near you–with no late fees involved.
Victor Ghoshe
20-07-2016
Photo Courtesy: goodnewsnetwork.org; yongestreetmedia; roadtrippers.kinja.com
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