Since we created the Human Library in 2000, we have published our books in more than 80 countries around the world. A few weeks ago, we added to the list when we launched the Human Library in Madagascar.

More than 65 readers dropped by the Simeon Rajaona Library in Antananarivo for the first Human Library on the island. The actual number was higher as librarians had to turn some readers away because all 10 books were out on loan and booked for the rest of the day.

With support from a great team of 18 volunteer librarians and organizers, the bookshelf offered readers access to topics like ADHD, Oprhan, Mh-atoky tena, Burnout and Introvert. The response was heartwarming.

We Need More of This Everywhere

Photo by David Andriantsilavo. The Human Library is Bibliotheque Humaine in Madagascar.

After the event, we asked both our books and readers about their experiences. One book felt the impact immediately.

“It amazes me how people relate to you when you share your story and how people are so kind towards you when they understand you more. We need more of this everywhere and more often.”

Another book felt the power of their journey and found confirmation of their courage.

“During the reading, I remembered how I felt when I was dealing with my health condition, and it hurt a little. But while I was discussing with my readers, I looked back and I saw how brave I was and how far I have come. I will definitely come back.”

Lastly, it is of utmost importance to us that our volunteers feel embraced, included and accepted in the space. This comment confirmed that the framing was supportive and empowering.

“I am more than ready to be a book again. I love sharing and talking openly to people about different issues, and the Human library is a safe place to do that.”

The Work Continues

The response from readers, books and partners was overly positive, and it helped confirm the potential of the Human Library in Madagascar, where we found a community ready to embrace more learning opportunities. Based on the initial feedback and outcomes, we plan to continue our work with local partners to bring more Human Library programs to the community. 

If you are able to help us reach more readers in Madagascar and around the world. Please use this link to DONATE and support our work.

Photo by David Andriantsilavo. The great team from the Human Library in Madagascar.

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Our Human Library Book of the Month is a series of portraits of our books created with the purpose of offering our readers a chance to understand the diversity and variety within our bookshelves around the world. It also provides unique insights into the motivations and values of being a book and volunteering for our organization.

Two years on the bookshelf has helped our Book of the Month learn as much about himself, as he has about his readers. The journey has not been easy, but it has always been rewarding, says Leonardo Blas Urrutia or Leo as his friends call him. 

He is a young man, full of life, ambition, energy and optimism. A man with a gentle nature and a quiet pleasant presence. He takes time to find his words and you can tell he is very keen to be clear, as one former US president liked to say. Because there has been some misunderstandings for the 22 year old college student from Peru, now living in Californias Bay Area. 

“I joined the Human Library two years ago after I saw an ad on campus for an upcoming event at Foothill College, where I study. The ad made me realise that I had rarely questioned my stance on how other people treated and perceived me. I tried to ignore and normalize experiences like being underlooked for being a community college student, or being called a Mexican despite asserting I’m Peruvian.” 

For Leo the library has been an opportunity to better understand himself and his readers.

“When I learned about the library I felt an impulse I knew I had to follow, and I haven’t stopped. I’ve used the Human Library events as avenues to engage in conversation with myself and my readers, and have scratched the surface of topics I never thought were part of my life. For instance, after opening up during my first event, at Foothill College, I noticed that I had several misconceptions about myself, and that the most rational action I could take was to visit a counselor, which led to a PTSD diagnosis. And during one of my most recent events, hosted by UCLA, telling a Japanese family about my personal struggles while studying led me into counseling again, and an ADHD diagnosis.”

Human Library events take place in high schools, colleges, universities, libraries, community centres but also in work places. One of Leo´s finest moments as an open book happened during a reading for staff from eBay.

“It was my first corporate event and I was published at eBay’s headquarters in San Jose. After opening up to a group of four employees and telling them about the financial and socioeconomic struggles my family faced during our early stages, a lady of african american background empathized and resonated with my story. I saw tears dropping from her eyes as I spoke about the violence and insecurity I faced as a child and how my parents worked hard to pull my family out of that environment. After the reading we approached each other and hugged. It was a very heart-warming experience for me.”

Leo is on loan from the Human Library Bay Area Book Depot and this month among other he will be published online for staff from MASCO Corporation and as part of the collection for Unjudgement Day at the end of June. Helping us mark 20 years of Human Libraries across the world.

More information on Unjudgement Day

Apply to be published as a book in the Human Library.

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The Covid-19 crisis has proven a tremendous challenge for very many including the Human Library. We have stopped all activities across the world and spent time adapting to a new reality. Where sitting in groups close together and having couragous conversations about diversity is no longer feasible.

However it is important that the conversations continue and that is why we are now offering the Human Library online at both public and private events.

Unjudgement Day online

At the end of June we celebrate 20 years of human libraries around the world with Unjudgement Day. Our initial plans of hosting events across many continents was foiled and instead we are offering public events with reading opportunities online. Follow our SoMe channels to stay updated on our Unjudgement Day offerings.

Masco first to host online readings

Libraries and universities were not the only Human Library partners having to postpone events. Our corporate diversity partners were also impacted and many are still not able to resume their inclusion and diversity work. However MASCO Corporation have invited us to deliver a series of events online. Staff from across different business units will become the first corporate readers of the Human Library online.

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The Human Library Organization has accepted an invitation to publish our books at the Danish Parliament as part of Constitution Day celebrations. Members of parliament, staff and all citizens are encouraged to drop by and unjudge someone.

MPs to feature on bookshelf

As part of the event on June 5th we have invited two members of the Parliament to be trained as open books. In doing so, they will help us challenge prejudice about elected officials and be on loan to readers, along with topics such as refugee, bipolar, transgender, Jew, homeless, unemployed, HIV + and many more.

Conversations about our diversity

The purpose of the event is to create a safe space for a democratic dialogue about our diversity. Where we can have conversations that help us challenge what we think we know about each other. It is a cornerstone value of our democracy that we have respect for the right to be different and the right to have different views. But it is increasingly important that we remind each other of the value in that recognition.

Free to our readers

We expect to publish more than 25 different titles on Constitution Day. It’s free for everyone to join, and loans can have a duration of up to 30 minutes. Readers under the age of 15 need to accompanied by an adult.

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For twenty years, the Human Library has created safe spaces for conversations about diversity around the world. Soon those conversations will take place at the World Bank with a bookshelf full of employees as open books.

Books with internal scope

To mark the international day of Diversity, Dialogue and Development, the World Bank in Washington DC will host a Human Library for staff by staff. The project is a collaboration with the Human Library Organisation, to develop a book collection based on employees, that have signed up to be open books for their colleagues.

Employees from all over the world

The World Bank, which is located a stone throw from the White House, has more than 7500 employees from 190 countries. It provides a great starting point for a diverse book depot and similar in many ways to the IMF and our experiences from three years of cooperation with the fund will benefit the World Bank.

Launch with Reading Hall event

The first Human Library at the bank will be a large Reading Hall event, where 100 of the bank’s employees are invited to become readers. Every employee that is published has personal experience that we believe will help to increase understanding of the diversity at the bank. All of the books are vetted, edited and trained in the role of an open book prior to their publication.

Continued Conversations

If well received the bank hopes to be able to continue the conversations and carry out a number of activities based on the Human Library formats and using the books in the on-board book depot. Including a Human Library Book Cafe and activities that can unite content from the two structures.

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The work to bring the Human Library to Muncie, Indiana began in May 2019, when the new book depot manager took part in the first training session hosted in Indianapolis by the Human Library Organisation. 

Six months later, 40 books are now sitting in the interim book depot at Oakhurst Gardens, ready to be published for the first time. All of them have volunteered to be an open book about their own group in the community. A source for important and often very personal information. The sort you cannot easily access through an online search.

To be an open book

They are here to use their knowledge, to give their answers, to share their truth about something that often has stigmatized them on their life journey or posted a tremendous challenge for them to overcome. Today is an opportunity for some of the Books to convert often painful learnings into something positive. Something that can work to the benefit of someone else and the community. Waiting for readers are topics like Transgender, Police Officer, Refugee, Victim of abusive parents, Disabled, Depression and many more.

Readers from the get-go

Hosting a stand alone event in a venue away from a natural traffic of potential readers, can be a real test. But at this event our readers where there from the get-go, ready to dive in and start finding answers to difficult questions. The conversations went on through the day and the front desk registered over 65 loans over the afternoon.

Very different yet so very similar

A quick look around in the book depot and you cannot help but notice the incredible diversity present in the room. People from different ethnic backgrounds, different religious beliefs, different social backgrounds and some with disabilities. All coming together with many others and in all of our differences, at that moment, it was very obvious how incredibly similar we all are. 

The books from the Muncie Human Library soon learned, that they have a very strong common bond. A bond in their ability to show and share some of the most vulnerable or stigmatizing circumstances in their life, while possessing the strength to face and overcome the challenges.

Son of a book made event film

At the end of the day, a round of evaluation was carried out, as it should be after each event. To ensure that all books are still in mint condition and that everyone had a good experience. Each book shared their thoughts on the event and their meeting with readers. Most expressed a clear desire to be published again and said the conversations had a very positive impact on all parties involved. 

One of the books brought her son, Tre, a skilled SoMe content producer and he made a film from the day featuring some of the books and readers. Watch the clip below and it will almost seem like you were there. 

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With the succesfull launch of the new book collection at Heineken UKs headquarters in Edinburgh on Tuesday October 1st and the public event hosted two days later at Edinburgh Business School, the city joins a growing list of communities across the world, that host a Human Library Book Depot.

A collection of people

The Human Library book depot is a group of volunteers that are available to be published as open books on topics that can help us better understand our diversity. The Human Library is a safe space for conversations, where difficult questions are answered by people with personal experience that volunteered to share their knowledge.

Heineken a diversity partner of the library

One of the new books from Edinburgh in talks with a reader at Edinburgh Business School.

The new book depot, a first for Scotland, has been made possible with support from our Diversity Partner, Heineken UK.

Jane Brydon, HR Director, HEINEKEN UK says of the project: “It’s been fantastic partnering with The Human Library over the last three years. This is really at the forefront of inclusion and diversity and it’s great to be able to help engage more people from the local community and our employees in the programme.

“Our main goal for investing in The Human Library is to support the Scottish community, as well as encouraging our employees to establish a culture of inclusion – Something we believe is key to happiness in life and business. We want to continue to create an inclusive environment that nurtures creativity and innovation, values differences and allows employees to be their whole authentic self at work.”

A community book collection

The book depot was officially launched on October 1st, at Heineken UKs offices in Edinburgh, hosting an event for HR professionals from the Scottish Leaders Forum. The response was overwhelmingly positive and invitations to engage with more local partners are already incoming. The next public event is scheduled for November 21st at Edinburghs Central Library.

Once the bookshelf is stocked with a diversity of topics, it is expected that the book depot will be able to host 12 to 24 Human Library events annually. Human Libraries take place in schools, colleges, universities, libraries, festivals, conferences and at work places.

More details about the next event is available here and you can follow the development in the book depot here. If you are a potential book please consider applying to be published using the online application form available here.

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We are proud to announce that the Human Library will be hosted for staff at Delta Faucet Company on November 7th, 2019. This is the first visit to DFC and we are excited for the invitation to contribute to the companys diversity efforts.

Delta Faucet Company makes residential and commercial faucets and other products for kitchens and bathrooms that improve everyday experiences with water. Product that people of all backgrounds use everyday.

Reading hall

The Human Library reading hall event will be hosted at the company headquarters in Indianapolis and we expect over 100 employees to become our readers. The books that we will bring to publish on this day, will come from the entire region to answer questions about their topic.

Each reader will take part in three readings and the session will offer unique opportunities to challenge what we think we know about other groups in our community.

Corporate Diversity Partners

An increasing number of organizations and companies are inviting us to contribute to their diversity and inclusion work. Delta Faucet Company joins Smurfit Kappa, Heineken, Ebay, Microsoft, IMF, Eli Lilly, Premier Foods, and many more working to ensure inclusive work places, that draw strength from their diversity.

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We are proud to announce that alongside curated books, catwalks, and books for reading, the Flybrary at Burning Man this year will also be hosting the first ever Human Library.

The Human Library is designed to take the concept of a traditional library, and bring it to life. Instead of offering books, this is a library where real people are on loan. It is a place where personal stories and experiences come together and where you become a reader.

Our Books at Burning Man (all Burners themselves!) belong to one or many diverse groups in society that often stigmatised as a result of who they are, choices they have made, or an experience they have had. We want to break through the stereotypes, and prejudices that divide people by creating a safe space where honost conversations can take place, and curious questions can be asked. We will be publishing titles across the spectrum of mental health, gender, sexuality, occupation, lifestyle, religion and many more. In essence we want to encourage people “not to judge a book by it’s cover”!

We are excited to be bringing this experience to Burning Man and letting the Burners do the talking!

The Human Library will be open from 1pm – 4pm at the Flybrary from Monday 26th to Friday the 30th. Come pass by the Flybrary this year to not only check out this great installation, but to check-out a real human book (or more!), for personal and taboo-breaking dialogue. Our librarians will also be there to guide and help you find the book that is right for you.

We look forward to seeing you all on The Playa!

Information about location of the Flybrary will be on the maps you receive as you enter Burning Man, or it will be available at the information point!

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One of the worlds most diverse neighbourhoods is about to get its own Human Library Book Depot. Full of people that volunteered to answer difficult questions and booming with the energy that has made the city more than famous. That is what we are creating in Brooklyn and you can be part of it.

A book depot

A Human Library Book Depot is a collection of volunter books and librarians, spearheaded by a book depot manager, that organise and host Human Library events at schools, colleges, universities, festivals and work places.

The depot is a local chapter of the Human Library and operates as a community service to help increase the volume of events and create more safe spaces for dialogue, while using less ressources. You can say we republish our books and continously add on to the collection to ensure that we always have a diverse content to offer our readers. Book depots are in operation in some countries, while the Human Library is available in more than 80.

Who can be published?

Human Library tag cloud with examples of topics.

We are looking for people that have personal experience with stigma and negative stereotypes. People that have disabilities, people that have a minority background, people that have experienced mental health challenges and people with a lifestyle that has raised eyebrows, to name but a few. We are also looking for people that escaped conflict and others that have overcome hardship due to their ethnicity, background, gender and much more.

The Human Library methodology is based on our 12 pillars of prejudice. All of our literature belongs in one of the pillars. The pillar on religion would contain topics such as the Agnostic, Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and many more. While the pillar on occupation could carry a Journalist or a Politician or a Police Officer. The people who have a little time to give and valuable experiences to share, are typically ideal books.

Why become a book in the Human Library

Quite simply put, because it is incredibly rewarding to help others better understand and it is a good opportunity to be part of creating a more inclusive and understanding community. It is also a way to

be heard and to provide knowledge to others. To inspire and to challenge what is being said. And to be part of something much bigger and across groups in the community. To walk should to shoulder with others just like you and yet very different. To find common ground and to be part of a place, where it is always okay to be you and where people volunteered to answer difficult and sometimes quite personal questions. Visit our Human Library Book FAQ for find more details about your publication.

Whats next for Brooklyn

The depot manager and the team of librarians are getting ready to host the first trainings for the new books. So if you are living in the Big Apple and you have an open book inside you. Then maybe you can help us challenge stereotypes and stimulate dialogue about our diversity. The NYC book depot in time is expected to have capacity to host 12-30 events annually at schools, libraries, universities, festivals and conferences. We hope to host the first local events in Brooklyn by the fall of 2019.

See our online book application form here

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