On Wednesday the 24th of January the Human Library set a new reader record with 500 employees from Danish international manufacturing company Velux, joining our “Reading Hall” sessions in Odense, the hometown of renowned author of fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen. 

Reading Hall full of innovators

The Odeon concert hall floor was lined with tables all buzzing with courageous conversations. Yet the space revealed an amazing acoustic capability that ensured everyone in each group of “readers” were audible. The learning exercise was embedded in a global conference for staff from Velux Products & Innovation.

“We are here to kick off our next step to ensure a more sustainable and inclusive workplace” said Tina Mayn, Executive Vice President for products at Velux to Danish broadcaster TV2/Fyn. 

A fantastic learning experience

A body modified book with readers from Velux Products & Innovation.

Never before has the Human Library published its books for so many in one afternoon and the response from readers was both moving and quite significant. Hundreds submitted a reader’s review and many stopped by the librarians on their way out to say thank you for a great day.

“This was an incredibly beautiful and fantastic learning experience. I found it to be very valuable and I had outcomes that I know will stay with me” said Velux innovation and research lead Anna Clausen, after her readings.

Continuing the conversations online

More than 25 different topics were published for our record 500 readers from Velux. Including ADHD, autism, Cerebral Palsy, HIV, cancer survivor, amputee, transgender, obesity, and being body modified. 

To celebrate the milestone all 500 from Velux were invited to register for a complimentary Library Card with access to more readings on our online bookshelf. 

Anna Clausen also signed up for more books.

“I am curious to explore – “what I didn’t know, I didn’t know”. It’s pretzeled, but basically I have a great respect for the fact that there is so much I don’t know (nuances, similarities, taboos etc.) both on known and unknown topics.”

Conclusions

The Human Library sessions for Velux stands as a testament to the power of open dialogue in creating more inclusive workplaces. By breaking down barriers and encouraging conversations about diverse experiences, Velux has taken a significant step toward building a workplace that values the richness of its employees’ backgrounds and perspectives. The success of this event reinforces the importance of such initiatives in fostering understanding, empathy, and unity within organizations.

Watch the TV2/Fyn news report from the event here

Read more about the Human Library online here

Visit Velux here

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Sean, 59, from New Zealand, joined the Human Library in 2022. He was first published at a local event in Whangarei. A friend of his organized the event and called him up to hear if he would be interested in becoming a Book, and it did not take much persuasion for him to sign up, “I thought that sounds really cool, and I loved the ‘Unjudge Someone’ approach”. He was published with the topic ADHD and has since joined our online bookshelf as well.

Discovering ADHD

Sean’s journey to discovering his ADHD began with a surprising twist. While he has had ADHD all his life, it remained hidden, even from himself.

“I was actually in denial when it first came up. I was seeing a therapist, and he said, well, maybe there’s a bit of neurodivergence happening here. And I was quite indignant and said: ‘I’m not autistic and I can’t have ADHD because I know where my keys are!’, which is really funny because a little while later, I actually lost my keys for two days and didn’t even notice. He was right though, because all of the problems I was working on with him were actually due to my undiagnosed neurodivergence.”

After a relationship breakup, Sean became quite anxious, so started medication for the anxiety. After a short while, the medication removed the anxiety, but several other things started to happen to him. “All of a sudden, I couldn’t remember anything. It would take me three attempts to send an email, and I was really disorganised, which was very unusual for me. So, I started down this process of understanding what this neurodivergence thing was about and went through a big process of diagnosis. It turns out suppressed anxiety was my main masking method.”

At 58 years old, Sean was diagnosed with ADHD.

Coming to Terms with ADHD

When Sean was first diagnosed with ADHD, he found it hard to digest and struggled to process it. “When I first found out, it was quite a shock to the system. There’s a lot of relief that you finally know what’s going on, but also so much grief for what could have been different. After getting support and understanding, the world started making more sense”.

Sean with his double bass.

He found that medication, therapy and coaching made the difference for him, “Medication is not a magic pill that makes you normal. I’m not normal. But it gives me access to capability. Things that I realise have been hard for me to do all my life are now possible”. Self-care is crucial after a late diagnosis, and he adds, “I’ve also recently started playing double bass in an orchestra. Music is amazing for my brain”. When asked if he still feels like the same Sean from before the medication, he replies, “Yes and no. I am the same Sean. I have the same history. But looking back and understanding how I thought and felt about things, I feel very different now. Who I am is fundamentally the same, but my emotional response is very different.”

Sean also mentions how fortunate he felt after disclosing the diagnosis to his workplace and how supported he felt. “I went to my boss and said, hey, I’ve just had this diagnosis, there are some things happening for me. And his response was to ask what I need and how he can help.” He acknowledges that not everyone has the same experience as him and says about his employer, “It’s really amazing that they are willing to look after their employees.”

“Our job as humans is to be the best human being we can be with whatever we’ve got. Whatever brain you’ve got, whatever circumstance you are in, you turn up as your best person and try to be the best you can be. Managing my ADHD is just part of who I am.”

Challenging Misconceptions

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But for Sean, it’s not a deficit of attention at all, but quite the opposite, “It’s all the attention all the time!”  He also describes the common misconception that hyperactivity doesn’t always show up the same way, “It isn’t all bouncy five-year-old boys”, but it can also be internal hyperactivity, like overthinking.

“People do ask, doesn’t everybody have this? And yes, being distracted, intense or very emotional is fairly common. The difference is that for many neurodivergent people, they are much more extreme. For both neurotypical and neurodivergent people, if something upsetting happens, both will get upset and then calm down again. The neurodivergent person will often get way more upset and take much longer to get back to a normal state of regulation. It’s much harder.”

Being a Part of the Human Library

When the conversation turned to being a part of the Human Library, Sean talked about one of his most memorable readings. “This guy turned up and checked me out as a Book. He told me: ‘I’ve got a young son, he’s so bouncy and uncontrollable. He’s so busy and so hyperactive. I don’t know what to do, and maybe he has ADHD’. I said, ‘I can’t diagnose your son, but here are some places you can go and talk to’. There was a pause, and he then talked about himself, that there are all these things that he knows he should do, but he just can’t do them, and that he feels on his own and can’t talk to his wife about it, and his parents think he’s ridiculous. I knew exactly what he was feeling and just wanted to give him a big hug. It was an incredibly moving moment.”

For those seeking to understand ADHD, Sean advocates visiting the Human Library and engaging with the real experiences of other people. “I think everyone should come along to the Human Library and read some Books and get a perspective from people who are different. It’s just that connection. You sit and talk to a group of people from all sorts of cultures all over the world, with different experiences, and come away with a better understanding. It’s amazing.”

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Read the previous Book of the Month: Disabled and Gay.

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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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