In a heartfelt celebration of community leaders, Peggy Lewis, 67, dedicated volunteer and Human Library Book Depot Manager in Muncie, In, received the Vivian V. Conley Award for Distinction in Advocacy for Social Justice on August 28th for her work with the Human Library.

Vivian V. Conley was a prominent civil rights activist and community champion in Muncie and at the forefront of many community issues relating to education and civil and elderly rights. The award, named in her honour, recognizes individuals who, like Vivian herself, stand at the forefront of community matters and drive meaningful change. Peggy’s dedication to creating an inclusive community where diverse voices are heard aligns seamlessly with the award’s values and serves as a well-deserved recognition of her outstanding contributions to the community.

Peggy Lewis in the middle, celebrated by Books and Librarians.

“You need to understand that this is my passion, and the real winners are all of the Books and Librarians who work together to help me make this a reality. I am humbled and honoured. I was so happy to share this moment with some of those Books and Librarians as well as my sons,” Peggy says. 

Making Indiana a Human Library hub

Peggy Lewis has been leading the local work in Muncie since 2019, and with a band of incredible volunteers, they have built a strong local presence that is giving voice to the diversity of the community and enabling learning opportunities across educational institutions, festivals and workplaces. 

She has put thousands of hours into caretaking for Books, Librarians and readers. Ensuring the safe space for all involved in the work. 

Peggy got involved almost by circumstance after meeting Human Library founder Ronni Abergel at a training session held in Indianapolis. Since then, she has been trained and visited the head office in Copenhagen, Denmark. Along with her team and the amazing Fort Wayne Human Library team, Peggy Lewis has helped make the state of Indiana a regular hub for the Human Library in the US. Peggy Lewis, we salute you.

Click to find a Human Library event near you

The post Human Library Book Depot Manager Wins Award appeared first on The Human Library Organization.

With support from Z Zurich Foundation, the danish company Analyze og Tal are producing an external impact study to investigate the impact of the Human Library.

The starting point for the new study is three online events that the Human Library are hosting for Zurich Insurance Group. During September 2020 employees from Australia, Europe and the US will become readers of the Human Library. 

A number of readers will be interviewed before the event, and the same readers will be interviewed again months later with the aim of investigating the long-term impact.

Inclusion key to social justice

The project has been made possible with support from Z Zurich Foundation in Switzerland. A fund set up by the global insurance company Zurich Insurance Group.

“Making social justice possible is a cornerstone of the Z Zurich Foundation’s strategy, and it starts with inclusion. We are pleased to collaborate with the Human Library, not only on the series of events, but also for the study that can validate the thesis that an open and honest conversation can be all that is required to change attitudes and break down prejudices “, says Mark Heasman of the Z Zurich Foundation.

We need more research

For 20 years, the Human Library has created a safe framework for conversations about diversity. The diversity learning platform is available in more than 80 countries with more being added each year.

“As a library we are always excited about gaining more knowledge and more than ever, we need knowledge about the tools that work and what impact they can have on our communities, ”says Ronni Abergel, founder of the Human Library.

The survey is conducted by the analysis company Analyze og Tal and the results are expected to be published during the first quarter of 2021.

Read more about the work of the Z Zurich Foundation here

The post New impact study on the Human Library appeared first on The Human Library Organization.