“An otherwise very competent doctor at Rigshospitalet told me that I shouldn’t expect to ever be walking again. I don’t know whether that was reverse psychology, but it worked because it made me think: ‘Well, that’s not for him to decide.’”

We are sitting inside the Café of Send Flere Krydderier (Send More Spices) – a cosy little haven embraced by the community centre, Union, in the middle of Nørrebro in Copenhagen. The name of this place may seem a tad contradictory, for while we’re sitting there, a sublime scent of curry, garam masala, and coriander is weaved into the smooth notes coming from the Malian singer Rokai Traoré who’s playing on the speakers in the background. But maybe that’s exactly where the Café got its name from – because its food always includes so many lovely spices. 

Filip and I have sat ourselves in one end of the room with a cup of coffee in our hands. We are meeting to discuss his life and his role as a Book in the Human Library. He’s 46 and started publishing as an open Book in 2020 with the title “Amputee” after hearing about the organisation through a friend. He has been a volunteer ever since. As with many Human Library Books, I quickly discovered that you should never judge a book by its cover since Filip’s story entails much more than just his amputated legs. 

At 19 years old he left Jehovah’s Witnesses due to the fact that he is gay, and he started living alone in Copenhagen. What’s more is that he underwent a malignant cancer disease in the first half of 2020, which included momentary death, and eventually resulted in the loss of both his legs. 

“From an early point in life I’ve been used to people questioning who I am. So, ever since I was young, I’ve had to make tough decisions about myself and my life.”

Filip, a man who’s always in possession of a wink and a smile, is interested in talking about everything under the sun. He grew up a Jehovah’s Witness with his family in Jutland, a chapter of his life that’s helped shape him into the person that he is today. Among other things, he uses his upbringing as a reason why he from an early age, was conscious of what he wanted in life. But this was also the reason for his ostracisation from his family, as Jehovah’s Witnesses do not allow homosexuality in their religion.

It was a heavy choice to take, but at the same time, also a choice where he knew the consequences and felt it was a necessary action. It may sound cold and cynical, as Filip says, but in the end, it was a decision about whether he should live someone else’s life or his own, and when putting it like that it wasn’t a difficult decision for him to make. 

“There are many opportunities for people with a disability if you actually do a bit of research. Do you know how many places where I can gain free entrance in Copenhagen? Most, if not all, museums and the Zoo only cost me a penny.” 

At the start of 2020, Filip was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 43. From there, things began to escalate quickly. Filip started on an arduous journey with chemotherapy, and his doctor told him that he would either die from the cancer or the chemo. And that is literally what happened. Filip went into cardiac arrest and was in a coma for six weeks. It was while in a coma that he developed gangrene in his feet because his body couldn’t provide enough oxygen. 

On the 13th of August 2020, Filip was officially declared cancer free, but in the process, his legs were amputated from his feet to above his knees. It was one of the toughest chapters of his life, but at the same time, he had a steadfast resolution about being able to live his life to the fullest afterwards – despite having lost his legs. 

Throughout the course of his rehabilitation, that resolution persisted. He believes that his resolve comes from his time as a Jehovah’s Witness. From an early age, he experienced the necessity of taking control of his own life, and this has followed him ever since. 

Today, he’s using prosthetics for his legs, and he is enjoying the many opportunities available for disabled people in Copenhagen. Despite a supportive effort from the local municipality, Filip rarely needed much of their help, and he does view himself lucky as he made it through all the adversity without giving up. 

“I was in a place where I didn’t know whether I would be judged and met with prejudice or not.”

Filip started volunteering as a Book at the Human Library after the cancer treatment because one of his friends was a Book already. Thankfully, it’s a rare occurrence that Filip is met with prejudice in public – most of the time it’s children who point and stare. However, as he explains himself, the worst part after the amputation was the uncertainty that followed him around about what would happen and if he could ever live a normal life again. 

Uncertainty begets insecurity, Filip says. And, perhaps, it’s this uncertainty that many people without a physical disability have. The uncertainty of what life you can lead with a physical disability can quickly turn into an insecurity if you aren’t aware of the many offers and support available from your local municipality and not-for-profit organisations.

Filip states the therapeutic aspect as one of the main instigators as to why he joined the Human Library. Instead of sitting at home and losing touch with reality, he needed to ‘touch grass’ and be able to talk to people – something that also helped him talk about the entire process of his cancer and amputation in its entirety. 

However, today the aspects have changed a bit. Instead of being a therapeutic outlet for himself, he’s discovered how much value his experiences are giving other people as well. People are often very moved by his journey, and, as Filip states, when you’re affected by someone’s life, you start to think. 

My coffee went cold a while ago as a consequence of the intense and emotional talk with Filip, and Rokai Traoré’s mellow song is coming to an end. I thank Filip for his courage and openness, and while we leave the café, I reflect again on my own prejudice around physical disabilities. Turns out Filip’s theory was true – I was affected by his story, and it surely made me think. 

Visit the Human Library Reading Garden in Copenhagen on a Sunday to get a chance to read Filip.

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Linda from Copenhagen, Denmark, has one of the more unique titles on the Human Library bookshelf; Psychic healer. In 2018, she came across a Facebook post about The Human Library Organization, which sparked a desire to join once she had the time and mental capacity. Linda has now been a part of the Copenhagen book depot since June 2022.

Never Alone

Since childhood, Linda has lived with a sense of people being around her; “When I would ask them something, I got an answer. It was not just a feeling of yes or no. It was long and complicated sentences. Answers that I couldn’t have thought of, unpredictable answers. I have always felt that they were on my side.”

A Sixth Sense

Linda’s abilities are called Extra Sensory Perception, shortened as ESP, or popularly called a sixth sense. “It’s when your senses exceed the physical ones. We all live with the five senses that we know, but with extra sensory, I can see memories that are not my own, for example.”, Linda explains. “If you asked me about something from your childhood, I can close my eyes, tune in, and see the situation you’re talking about. A situation you’ve never told me about that no one could know without having been there.”

Bullied by her Bosses

Linda’s readers have the opportunity to learn about her abilities and her job as a healer, but for Linda, it is equally important to touch upon what it has been like to live as an outsider. “Because I’m a psychic, I have been bullied to the point of having to see a therapist. I’ve had to leave four different jobs because my co-workers were bullying me. At two of those places the boss was also part of the bullying.”

“Since I was a teenager, I’ve talked about clairvoyance and being psychic, and I have met a lot of resistance. It definitely has not been fun, and there have been times where I’ve thought, ‘Maybe I should just shut up about it’.” Linda says when asked about her reasons for wanting to become an open Book. 

“I’ve also had to deal with depression regularly because I have felt like there was no room for me in society. So it was actually a way to fight back.”

Challenging the Stigmas and Stereotypes

The fight Linda talks about is not only about her own experiences but also those of her colleagues within the alternative treatment community and their clients: “There is this stigma about psychics, which is what I represent, and other alternative treatment providers, that we’re crazy, that we’re naive, and we’ll believe anything. There are so many prejudices about what we are and who the people that come to see us are.”

Lockdown Changed Attitudes

But this attitude has recently started to change; Linda herself believes that the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic have led many more to research alternative medicine, healing and clairvoyance while in self-isolation.

“I think many people have been watching Netflix and YouTube at home on the couch and come across alternative documentaries, of which there are some amazing ones, and started thinking, ‘maybe there is something to it’,” Linda says. “Now, when I tell people that I’m psychic, people say, ‘Wow, that’s exciting; tell me more’. It used to be, ‘Oh, so you’re someone I’m allowed to bully’.”

“It’s a completely new society that I’ve returned to.” She laughs. “It used to be a discussion about whether clairvoyance is real. Now, it’s more of a dialogue about how it is possible, whether I’ve always had these experiences, and how it feels. They are curious about what is going on within the psychic. I really like talking about that.”

Read Linda in Copenhagen

One way to get the opportunity to read Linda is if you drop by the Human Library Reading Garden in Copenhagen. We are open to the public every Sunday from noon to 4 pm, and as always, the services of the Human Library are free to our readers.

Want to know more about our Books? Read about our last Book of the Month, Paris.

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The Human Library Reading Garden is gearing up for another tremendous season of courageous conversations in Copenhagen. We are all set to reopen for loans again at the end of April, and the great news is that this season we will be open to our public readers every Sunday, and yes, it is still free to use the services of the Human Library.

More than 500 Loans

In the previous season, we registered over 560 loans to readers during the Sunday sessions. This confirms the increasing level of interest, support and love from our Readers. People from all over the world visited us to borrow and read some of our open Books, and we are delighted to be able to provide even more opportunities for Books and Readers this season. The conversations about our diversity are more important than ever.

Open Every Sunday

Our team of Books and Librarians look forward to welcoming our readers every Sunday. The many visitors last year confirmed to us that we need to be providing even more opportunities for Readers to engage with our Books. The Reading Garden in Copenhagen has seen an ever-increasing influx of visitors since our grand opening in 2020 (*link to article).

“We are excited to be able to offer more learning spaces to the people of Copenhagen and visitors to the city and expect a steady traffic of courageous Readers this season”, says Ronni Abergel, founder of the Human Library and creator of the Reading Garden”

A Unique Learning Experience

The Human Library Reading Garden offers a free and unique learning experience for Readers to engage in dialogue on topics that often carry a great stigma and with people who have a relevant lived experience and who volunteered to answer questions about their life and background.

The new season in the Human Library Reading Garden will launch Sunday, April 23rd, and you can find a link to the event here. Readers are welcome from noon to 4 PM, and as always, the services of the Human Library are free to our Readers.

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The concept of the Book Bus was introduced last year, as the pandemic eased its grasp on the everyday life of the Danes. 

The aim of the tour is to reach areas of Denmark, where we have not yet had the opportunity to offer axcess to our Bookshelf. Inclusion is also about being inclusive to our Readers, and to ensure that the Human Library is not a phenomenon exclusively available in the large cities. 

From festival to festival

This year’s Summer Tour launched at Northside Festival, and we are fortunate to have been invited to publish our Books at quite a few festivals. This means that visitors at “Tinderbox”, “Grobund Building Festival”, and “Musik i Lejet” will get the opportunity to borrow our Books. And as always, The Human Library is free for all. 

The festival scene is a special meeting place for Books and Readers. A place where many people get together and are eager to discover new things. The ambiance of joy, coexistence and relaxation creates an accommodating environment for Readers and Books to come together and engage in dialogue about our diversity. Creating a framework, where you can safely experience and explore your own unconscious bias. 

Community events

Besides the “festival” stops the book bus will also visit a range of smaller towns and publish books at pop up events. One of the stops will be at the beach in Kerteminde. A town where many Danes like to visit during the holiday. 

The Tour will include books from our local book depots in Aarhus, Esbjerg, Odense and Copenhagen. Offering an opportunity for books and librarians from across the country to connect.

For more information on the Human Library Summer Tour and other Human Library sessions:
Human Library Events Page

The post The Human Library Book Tour appeared first on The Human Library Organization.

Daniel Lee, 30, from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia works with leadership management in sports. He is also currently training to become a wheelchair racer and he serves as an Open Book with the Human Library. His topic within the library is Wheelchair User and he is helping provide his Readers with the perspective of a man, who sees his wheelchair as anything but a limitation.

Stopped walking at 3 years old

Daniel suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta which means that his bones break very easily. Children fall, but for Daniel falling meant breaking a bone every single time. Because of the condition, Daniel stopped walking at 3 years old and his mother had to carry him around, as the family couldn’t afford a wheelchair at the time. 

As Daniel couldn’t run around and play like the other children, he felt like he wasn’t a part of his local community. He had to rely on his mother to carry him around, which limited his possibilities for socializing with the other children in the neighborhood. 

Wheelchair brought independence 

By the age of 10, Daniel finally received his wheelchair. From not being able to move on his own for the last 7 years, Daniel finally felt free when receiving his wheelchair, 

“I became more and more independent. And I love being in my wheelchair. I can go places on my own without the help of others,” he says. 

From the perspective of an able-bodied person, being in a wheelchair could seem like a limitation, but for Daniel it is anything but. 

“My wheelchair is a symbol of freedom, not of limitation. My condition is the limitation but my wheelchair helps me break the boundaries of the condition,” he explains. 

This perspective is exactly what Daniel brings into the conversation when publishing at the Human Library. 

Challenging people’s preconceptions

“I really enjoy challenging people’s preconceptions, and the Human Library provides a platform for exactly that and an opportunity to connect. When engaging with the Readers, I can feel a shift in perspective. A lot of people have good intentions but lack an understanding of what disabled people can and can’t do. They don’t expect that we can use public transportation or become leaders. Being out alone in public in a wheelchair is inspirational in Malaysia but good intentions and inspiration is not a way of normalizing the view on the abilities of disabled people”, he continues. 

Therefore Daniel is involved with leadership management in sports, 

“I use disciplines such as Sitting Volleyball and Blind Football as a way of promoting inclusion in sports. I just returned from a conference in the US helping people understand what they should take into consideration for the people in their communities, who have a different way of life than themselves”. 

Sports as a way of impacting communities 

Daniel has always been interested in sports. When he was younger, he competed in the Asian Youth Para Games in Sitting Volleyball, and he is currently training to become a wheelchair racer. Daniel has found a way to combine his passion for sports and his devotion to inclusion,

“I use sports as a way of impacting communities. I share my life experience with students and companies to motivate and inspire others”. 

He wants to empower disabled people as much as he wants society to understand that being in a wheelchair should not limit your possibilities. 

“I wish there would come a day that being out in public is not inspirational, but just normal. If you want to be inspired, be inspired by all the other things that people can do,” he states.

Daniel can be found on loan at Human Library events in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and online.

**Disability and indeed diversity language varies internationally and individually. This interview reflects the book’s own words and views.

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As an intern at the Human Library, you will be working closely with and be responsible for coordinating and implementing independent projects. As part of the secretariat team, you will also be involved in tasks from different areas of responsibility, collaborating with other interns, volunteers, and employees. We value making use of each other’s resources and perspectives across differences, and experiences. You can read more about the different positions here:

• Internship at our International Department
• Internship with International Corporate Partnership Team

We are always interested in applications from skilled and engaged persons regardless of ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or age. We also encourage candidates with special needs to apply.

Send your Cover Letter, CV, and relevant material to Head of Secretariat, Silke Bech no later than Monday March 28th at 12PM. Interviews will be held shortly after. 

Read more about the Human Library

The post The Human Library is Looking for Interns appeared first on The Human Library Organization.

Get a coffee and an open book

The new format encourages readers to grab a coffee and check out a book in café-style surroundings. You get to choose your topic and sit for up to 30 minutes asking questions of your open book. The loans can be one-on-one or in small groups. It is intimate and quite personal and not really built for larger groups of readers. Balancing demand and supply can create a slightly longer wait at some points of the day, nevertheless the feedback from readers was still excellent. 

Happy books and readers

With books available on topics such as Queer Parent, Raised In Care, Blind and more, our readers used the opportunity to explore diversity and learn about how different groups in society experience being judged by the cover of their book. All books were on loan for the entirety of the session.

One reader commented on their experience, “It was quite amazing gaining that very personal perspective, and it is very unusual in day-to-day life to get that very personal perspective. I think in the world today with a growing divide between people, events such as these help us to bridge that gap.”

Another reader remarked, “Having that connection with people instead of assuming and guessing. We assume that people have a certain life, but really, we don’t even know ourselves that well, and so how do we think that we could know other people better? Without having any expectations, I came out of this library reading feeling a lot more inspired.”

Why safe spaces in the community are important

This reflection is helpful in understanding how the Human Library works. Most people are keen to better understand those who are different from them and to an increasing degree accept a soft encounter with their own unconscious bias, but obviously a safe space is needed to do so and knowing that the person volunteered to be an open book on their lived experience, makes all the difference.

Perhaps, the strong demand underlines that we live in a time where many exchanges happen within echo chambers provided by social media and that there is an increasing awareness of the need for meaningful social interaction aimed at helping us better understand the diversity in our communities, helping us learn how to relate and engage across cultures and backgrounds.

A safe space to engage in dialogue with people, whom you might not have the social courage to engage with outside of the library space, is a rare opportunity.

More events on the horizon 

That Sunday afternoon at the premises of the Society of Authors also left us with tremendous inspiration. Seeing the great turnout, feeling the ambiance, and talking with a lot of happy readers, it was evident that there is a need for these accessible formats such as the Human Library Book Café and so we are already planning more opportunities for readers in London, Norwich, Edinburgh, Warwick, Manchester and Plymouth for 2022.

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The Human Library has local Book Depots spread out around the world. A few are in South America and one of them is in Lima, Peru. This is where we publish Jonathan, or as you will discover, Samantha. She has been a part of the Human Library since 2017. 

In disguise

Jonathan, also known as Samantha Braxton, publishes as the topic “Transformista” – also equivalent to “Crossdresser”. It all started at Halloween 17 years ago, in 2005, when Samantha first came to life. “I am a big fan of pop music, especially Madonna and Britney”, Samantha says, so she decided to go as Madonna, “Halloween is the perfect moment to be in disguise” she adds. The following years Jonathan repeated the experience, and this was how Samantha was first introduced to the world. 

Soon she was discovered by people in the creative industries and started singing and dancing in clubs, then moved to making social help videos and sharing her story online and quickly found recognition. She then joined the Human Library: “I always knew Samantha was a character that was going to challenge boundaries, inspire, and make people feel good”. 

Joining the Human Library

Samantha joined the Human Library after she participated in an exhibition called “Intolerancia” at a local gallery. One of the Librarians from the Lima Book Depot saw it and reached out to Sam. “I had just come out of a bad relationship with an abusive boyfriend who did not accept Samantha” she says, and then the Human Library invitation came along: “And it was an important time for me to share my story and feel like myself”. 

Even though Samantha is real, you can’t see her every day, “You are not going to see her drinking a cup of coffee or see her dating. She has no life. And that is the magic of Samantha”, Jonathan says and adds, “I am the one giving life to Samantha”. She is created to inspire people and make people feel good: “I feel great about myself every time I tell my story at Human Library events”. 

Helping expand readers perspective

“When I am published I feel like I get to experience how my readers erase the image they had in their mind”, she states. Many of her readers have been gay and lesbian and often they have not been openly out of the closet to their friends and family, and so they have come for advice and for insight into her journey. 

“My friends have always supported me, but at first my parents thought I had a fever when I told them about Samantha”, now Jonathan’s parents are actively helping with Samantha and are big supporters: “That is the best feeling”. 

Samantha is grateful to be a part of the Human Library Lima Depot. One of the things she highlights is that they are a strong group, “Many of the books and librarians have known each other for years now”. She hopes to help inspire readers and open their minds: “I am happy that I get to help educate people”. 

Follow the work of the Human Library Peru for an opportunity to read Samantha.

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The first impact study of the Human Library online format shows that Human Library events help Readers understand a broader scope of diversity and recognize that inclusion is more than acceptance – it requires action. 

Danish research consultancy, Analyse & Tal, was commissioned by Z Zurich Foundation to conduct a qualitative study to investigate the impact of the Human Library. The study was based on three virtual events the HLO hosted for 200 Zurich Insurance Group employees from different regions of the world. A group of participants who took part as Readers in September 2020 were interviewed before the events and again three months later. 

Jakob Kristensen, Analyst at Analyse & Tal says the findings indicate high satisfaction and significant short-term impact among the participants, “We focused on the intensity of people’s experiences. I was surprised to see that so many participants were able to recall vivid details of the event, as well as the recurring thoughts they had about their experiences in the months that followed. The level of detail and excitement they could recount was impressive. Based on our experience, we would label this as a significant impact.” 

Readers began reflecting on own biases

Readers found the format of the event to be both surprising and refreshing. It was frequently mentioned that being faced with another human being inspired them to reflect on their own biases and resulted in an increased sensitivity towards the diversity that exists beyond physical appearance. 

After the event, most Readers learned to identify stigmatized groups that are typically less visible and not included in their previous DEI experiences in the workplace. They also articulated a realization that inclusion goes further than acceptance or non-discrimination – it requires conscious action. Some mentioned they had changed their behavior based on their experiences at the event. This result is exciting, as it demonstrates medium-term impact which spreads further than the individual.  

“There are definitely proven impacts that were supported by a whole host of verbal comments and a clear desire to repeat the experiment.”  says Mark Heasman,  Head of Activism at Z Zurich Foundation.

Diversity Partners Inspired to Continue the Dialogue 

On Wednesday 24 March, Diversity Partners from all over the world came together to learn about the outcome of the impact study. After Jakob presented the results, there was an animated discussion between our Partners about how they can embed the Human Library into their organizations existing DEI efforts. There was even talk of collaboration between different friends of the Human Library and so we are helping create new networks and forums to share learnings and outcomes.

“Social equity is an important pillar for Z Zurich Foundation and if we’re going to change things within that space, we need to break down stereotypes,” says Mark Heasman, “The Human Library fits in really well with what we’re trying to achieve, and we see a lot of value in the platform as a tool to engage our employees.” 

Nadia Younes, Global Head of Employee Experience, Diversity and Wellbeing at Zurich Insurance Group, says, “We want to implement the Human Library into broader development programs and make it a more systemic approach to learning, particularly among our leaders. We want to weave this into how we operate as an organization in the long term rather than just a one-time event.” 

This small impact study has provided some exciting evidence that the Human Library has a lasting positive impact on those who attend our events, and we are thrilled to see it inspire our Partners to strengthen their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. To aid them in this process, we plan to build upon Analyse & Tal’s research to determine the extent of our impact in the long-term. 

From staff to reader to book

One very concrete outcome from the sessions is the case of Ray Chaaya, Employee Experience & Culture Lead for Zurich in Canada. Ray shared his journey from becoming a reader through the Zurich sessions to signing up as a book for the library.

“When Z Zurich Foundation sent out the invitation, I was on vacation and quickly skimmed the invite, thought it sounded intriguing and hit okay. What I didn’t realise at the time was that the event was actually taking place at 1:00 a.m. my time so when the day came I was pretty bummed out that I had to wake up at 1:00 a.m. to do this, but I set up my alarm, I sat in front of my computer and the next 2hrs flew by. It was 3am and I couldn’t go back to bed. My mind was buzzing from the impact I had just experienced from talking to these Books.  

The next morning I went online and signed up to become a Book.  

I thought this was an interesting way of doing what I already do in an organized, structured, virtual and now global format where I can reach more people and hopefully make a bigger impact”. 

To learn more about the impact study contact the Human Library secretariat or Z Zurich Foundation.

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Recently the Human Library celebrated its 20th anniversary. Twenty years of challenging stereotypes through personal conversations in over 80 countries around the world. A cause for celebration, but also a moment to put those who help make it possible in the spotlight! This series aims to do just that, as we talk with our local book depot managers about the work they do.

Passion for Conversation

Katy at a reading in a workplace.

Katy Jon Went is a depot manager, however, she is also much more than that. As coordinator of the Human Library in the UK, Katy recruits and trains books, librarians, and depot managers, while also organizing and hosting events – both on location and online. She plays an important role within the organization, and she loves it: “I get to be in the best job on the planet – helping to create conversation with wonderful diverse, different and varied people who otherwise might not have a voice, and might be ignored by the majority”.

As she talks about her personal and professional life experiences, it becomes clear that she has a passion for conversation. For example, she has been doing diversity trainings for a long time, mainly focusing on LGBTQ+, mental health and faith. She has also spent fifteen years running a tech company, worked in PR, recently joined the board of a Canadian start-up, is part of a local theatre board, on diversity councils for her county and national media, and regularly moderates panels, among other activities.

All of these experiences taught her valuable lessons which relate to the concept of the Human Library and its focus on respectful conversations: “you don’t get permission to talk to someone unless you listen first,” Katy says, “even when it was Christian work, it was always about winning the right to talk to someone. And you won that right by respect and listening to them first.”

Talking to strangers

Katy first got involved with the Human Library twelve years ago. A few months after attending an event as a reader, she decided that she wanted to publish as a book herself. In the past dozen years, she has published under the titles of ‘ex-missionary’, ‘transgender, ‘bipolar’ and ‘non-binary’. About the various titles she explains that “labels do not necessarily define us, but they do start the conversation at the Human Library. I have described labels at the Human Library as clickbait – but in a positive way. They are like the negative headline, where the rest of the article is actually really positive about the human experience.”

After being a book for eight years, she was asked if she wanted to become more involved in the work of the UK library and she jumped at the opportunity. She loves her job and is very good at it, but it is not always easy. “Despite appearing to be very confident and sociable, I am also riddled with anxiety and panic attacks, but once I get past the initial fear, I actually love meeting strangers. Some of the best things that have happened in my life have come from talking to strangers”, she explains.

A growing community

The Human Library has grown continuously over the years. The number of volunteer books and librarians are increasing each week and to exemplify the UK developments, four years ago the library hosted 15 events in the UK, this doubled to 33 the next year and doubled again to 69 events the year before Covid.

Katy as our online librarian on Zoom.

Furthermore, the Human Library’s approach and core methodology has not really changed over the years. It was created ahead of its time and took time to develop book depots with a proper strategy to ensure sustainability and embedding with the local community.  

“It is about a person having insight into your life for thirty minutes, about exchanging experiences. It is not just giving them an autobiography. They can go buy a real book for that. One difference between a printed book and a human book is that you can stop and start the human book. You can interact with the author; you can go outside the pages.”

This is where she sees the power of the Human Library and its ability to create personal change: 

“We are not going to fight the system, we are trying to fight human nature,” she says, “we are just creating an environment to see what happens when two humans meet. It is like a chemical experiment every single time.”

However, the community each book depot creates is also a source of change, Katy thinks: 

“The books themselves end up breaking their own taboos or fears of each other,” she says, “they are a modelling community to the rest of the world. If our black book and police book can get on together, if our feminist and trans books can get on together, if our evangelical and gay books can get on together… then it proves that we all can.”

Unjudgement: a challenge for everyone

Katy had to learn to unjudge her readers as well – learning that readers can surprise you and meaningful conversations can be had even with those who seem to be against you. We all have judgements:

“At the end of the day the rest of the world sees us as something else before it sees us as humans. So even if we see ourselves as human, the world sees us first as trans, black or disabled. But if the world sees me first as those things, it is probably also how I see others. It is about recognizing the other aspects of being human: we are imperfect, we make mistakes, we do make judgements and we have unconscious biases.”

One of the biggest lessons Katy learned in the Human Library is that unjudgement is “a challenge to everyone in the human library. It is a challenge to staff, a challenge of librarians to books, books to librarians and other books, and to all of us and our readers and our readers to us. It works on every single level.”

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