Therese Sta. MariaThere’s a number of beautiful libraries around the world, all of them showcasing treasured books, from the classics to limited editions. But no matter how enchanting or historical those libraries are, most of them are traditional and none offer stories that come straight from a person’s mouth.
So allow us to introduce you to this non-conventional library that lets visitors “borrow” people instead of books; and not just anyone either: people who can remove our prejudices. That is the ultimate and admirable aim of the Human Library.
A little background on the Human Library
The Human Library was created in 2000 by Ronni Abergel along with his friends and family in Denmark. It’s a nonprofit organisation that upholds the tagline “A chance to unjudge someone,” and there’s honestly no better way to describe their mission.
Also read: Denmark Lets Cross-Border Couples Reunite If They Show Proof of Relationship
According to the official website, the library’s whole concept is all about creating a safe space for dialogue where topics are discussed openly between a human book and reader. The human books are volunteers who are willing to share their personal stories about different struggles like unemployment, being a refugee, having a mental disorder, and being molested. Want to see their lineup of human book volunteers? Click here.
To this day, minority groups still struggle with being accepted into society, so the volunteers in the Human Library are here to eradicate such prejudices and are ready to answer even the most difficult questions.
How to avail of the Human Library’s services
The Human Library hosts events virtually, in real libraries, museums, festivals, conferences, and schools. Although it’s mainly based in Denmark, the Human Library has organisers spread throughout the globe to better give voice to communities that are stigmatised around the world. Check this page to see if they have an organising group in your country or area. Make sure to save the link for when the geotags and links are updated.
Also read: Five Beautiful Castles You Must Visit in Denmark
What’s more, the Human Library is completely open to publishing your story if you think you defy a stereotype. You can volunteer as one of their human books here. According to them, “We can promise that being a book in the Human Library is more than you expect and something you will never forget. It is also an opportunity to meet a lot of people that are different from you, and yet you will find you share a lot in common.”
When your eyes are tired from all that reading, you can still explore another world by lending your ears to real human stories. If you think about it, the best alternative to reading a book is either listening to a human book or becoming one yourself. By broadening your horizons, you can help break down stigmas and stereotypes. If you like the sound of that, keep the Human Library bookmarked!
All images credited to the Human Library | Official Website
