Before this course, I had heard of Human Libraries, but I never stopped to think WHY stories are important in libraries. I can now see a few reasons why Human Libraries would be a great addition to public libraries.
The articles provided in the course opened my eyes to the impact this program can have. This was especially evident in the article, New Study on the Impact of the Human Library. “Readers” from a Human Library event were interviewed three months after the event. The findings showed that Readers remembered exact details about the event. This retention shows the impact it had on them. They are now able to be more aware of their own biases and look at the world with an open mind to the diversity it holds. Most importantly, they realized that action is necessary for change to be made and some of the participants have begun making changes within themselves.
I love the idea of the Human Library because it’s something that many people can do. Some people have specific topics they might want to share their experiences with (LGBTQ+, disabilities, etc.). However, I believe almost anyone can sign up to be a Book. Everyone has a different story to tell, whether they are aware of it or not. I’m envisioning ways to open up this idea and make it broader. For example, some libraries have ESL chat sessions where people can practice their English by having conversations with other people practicing the language. I can see this format being applied to Human Libraries. There are many Books walking around and Readers can roam the room and have conversations about their life experiences. I’m imagining an informal setting of meandering where the Books are anyone who wants to share about themselves. A program like this can also be good for our lonely patrons who like to come up to the desk and talk for long periods of time. Some of them have really fascinating stories, but we don’t always have time at the reference desks to talk with them. Either way, I think the findings from the study are enough reason to incorporate more Human Libraries into our public libraries!
I also like the idea of keeping a standing list of people willing to be resources later. “Your kid just came out? Here’s a parent who’s willing to chat with you about their own experience.”