Week 25: the Human Library®

The Human Library® is – according to their website -, in the true sense of the word, a library of people. They host events where readers can borrow humans who serve as open books and have conversations they would not normally have access to. Every human book from their bookshelf, represent a group in society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin etc.

Being interested in people and their stories, this sounded like something for me and when I learned that our local library was organizing such an event, I immediately subscribed. On a sunny afternoon, off I went!

Upon entering the library, I was given a catalogue of human books. I choose two books from it: one about a woman taking care of her partner with dementia, and the other about a man who had recovered from a burnout. I heard stories of strength, compassion, about navigating life that can sometimes be a struggle. It took me a few hours to process all the things that were said to me, and I feel more compassionate towards other people now, of which we often don’t know the real story.