I volunteered at a festival that hosted a Human Library event but confess I didn’t really know what it was all about. I thought it was probably a series of presentations with a few minutes at the end for audience questions. Not so, I discovered.
The Human Library is an altogether different approach to typical conference talks. So how does it work? A volunteer puts themselves forward as a ‘human book’ for an honest and open discussion about their personal stories with an audience (the ‘readers’) in a respectful and safe environment. “Every reading is different,” said Murray, a human book interviewed for Epilepsy Action.
He added, “Your intro is the same, but you never know what you’re going to get asked.”
The Human Library I helped support was part of the Birmingham Disability Festival in 2024.
We were fortunate to have some well known names taking part as human books including Dr Amo Raju OBE, Charlie Fogarty MBE, Amit Ghose, Fidel Thompson and Charlotte Berisford. The event was expertly curated by ‘librarian’ Dr Shani Dhanda, the multi-award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility specialist.
“You never know what you’re going to get asked”
Murray, Epilepsy Action
Where it began
The Human Library idea dates back 25 years to a festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. A one off event was held where people could walk in and borrow a stranger for a conversation about a challenging topic. Key Founder Ronni Abergel was inspired to frame his concept as a library because “It’s truly the most inclusive institution in our time” he told CNN.
“There is a great book hidden in all of us, and most of us would be bestsellers,” said Abergel. Since then the Human Library movement has spread to more than 80 countries.
“There is a great book hidden in all of us”
Ronni Abergel, Human Library Founder
Unjudge Someone
Human books often face prejudice or discrimination because of their lifestyle, ethnicity, beliefs, or disability. Its founders have the motto ‘unjudge someone’ to encourage people not to judge a book by its cover. It’s an insight into the life experiences of others, challenging stigmas and stereotypes through conversations.
“It’s 30 minutes in someone else’s shoes and it is giving a voice to people who are marginalised.” said Katy Jon Went, Human Library UK coordinator, speaking to The Metro.
Where to find Human Library events
Human Library events are often put on at libraries, museums, festivals and schools. The Guardian reported that Norfolk has been one of the most prolific hosts of events thanks to the endeavours of its local library service. In 2022, the first Human Library in a prison was hosted in the UK not far from here at Stoke Heath Prison in collaboration with Shropshire Libraries.
If there’s not one near you, perhaps consider hosting one yourself through a community group or where you work. In educational institutions they can promote empathy and connection in a diverse student population and help them learn skills useful in world of work, as The University of Glasgow did through a project with its medical students, Forbes highlighted.
For businesses it can promote staff cohesion as participants feel more connected and valued. It can help break down barriers between colleagues, help understanding of each other’s roles, improve teamwork and collaboration.
Next Steps
If there’s a Human Library event happening near you, why not go along and borrow a human book for half an hour, hear their story and ask questions.
As Ben Caron, Los Angeles Human Library manager said in the The Oldie, “The Human Library attracts really incredible people, people with big hearts and a drive to make the world a better place”.
“The Human Library attracts really incredible people, people with big hearts and a drive to make the world a better place”
Ben Caron, Los Angeles Human Library manager
The Human Library at Birmingham Disability Festival 2025
The perfect opportunity to sample the Human Library is coming up. Birmingham Disability Festival is opening the doors again to its Human Library on Saturday 5th July 2025, between 12 noon – 6pm at Aston University Library. The event is supported by us at Ways for Wellbeing and local partners across Birmingham.
It’s completely free and open to all. Find out more about the event and sign up for free tickets.