Want to know what life is like for those working in law enforcement, or for someone enduring poverty and homelessness? You could read about these ways of life, or you could learn about them by checking out a person at the public library in Toronto, Canada.

 

The Toronto Public Library, the world’s largest, offers the Human Library project, in which patrons can “borrow” a police officer or a comedian or a cancer survivor or one of many volunteers for 30 minutes to hear them tell their story.

 

The concept of a Human Library was invented in Denmark in 2000 when a group of seven friends collected 75 human “books” and presented them to the public as part of an anti-violence movement at the Roskilde Festival. The experiment spread to Hungary and Norway and soon gained the support of the Council of Europe. The first regular Human Library was established in Lismore, Australia, where an event is held every month.

 

Human libraries finally reached the United States in 2008, when events were held at the Santa Monica Public Library in California, the Bainbridge Public Library in Washington and the University of Arkansas.

 

Among the human books who have been presented at various libraries are Muslim, Communist, Catholic Priest, Terminally Ill, Bald, Blonde Woman, Ex-Gang Member, Vegan and Politician.

-David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Always Innovative Toronto Public Library Lets Us Check Out Humans as Well as Books (by Paul Gallant, Young Street Media)