The Human Library: Where you borrow a person instead of a book!
We wonder if you still need your library card...
The conventional library is a place that houses great stories from people all around the world. Of course, we appreciate it for all its wisdom and history. But there is a lack of personality to the conventional experience of reading books.
Not only has Denmark made things far more personalised with the Human Library experience, but they have also created something that helps break down prejudice in a positive and personable way.
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The Human Library Organization is an international non-governmental organisation and active in over 85 countries.
And the premise of hearing people's stories as opposed to borrowing just books, is sort of a genius way of breaking the ties of stereotypes on gender, ethnicity, religion, and so much more.
So, ideally, instead of borrowing a book, you borrow a person, who has a title - 'Unemployed', 'Refugee', 'Bipolar', for example, and listen to their story for 30 minutes. That's some kind of amazing...
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This is the ideal way of teaching people how not to judge a book by its cover, as hearing their stories opens up your mind to a whole new world, a world where humanity comes first, where compassion, patience, and the will to learn about our fellow people reigns as important.
Check out some of the testimonials of people who have been a part of the human library experience.
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