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Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Human Library: NLW 2023

The Human Library™ is designed to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue.

Human Library Organization

The Human Library movement started as a event called “Menneskebiblioteket” (it's name in Danish) in the Spring 2000, as a program for the Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen.  The director of the Festival, Lief Skov encouraged the formed youth organization called "Stop the Violence" to create some events for the Roskilde Festival. 
Stop the Violence members (Ronni Abergel, Dany Abergel, Asma Mouna and Christoffer) created this group in 1993, when a mutual friend was stabbed while out enjoying the Copenhagen nightlife.  He survived, but the friends decided they wanted to do something to fight the violence.  They formed the "Stop the Violence" as "to  raise awareness and use peer group education to mobilize danish youngsters against violence. In a few years time the organization had 30.000 members all over the country."
 
The Roskilde event ran for eight hours a day for four days with 75 Human Books, over 1000 Readers.  What a success!  For more information on the Human Library Organization, see the links below:
  • Human Library Organization web papge http://humanlibrary.org/
  • Human Library Organization on  Facebook  #humanlibrarorg
  • Human Library Organization on  Snapchat  #HumanLibrary
  • Human Library Organization on  Twitter  @TheHumanLibrary
The Loyola University of Chicago event is registered with Human Library Organization.

Human Library Chicago

The Human Library Chicago chapter was created with the permission of the Human Library Organization in 2014 and  began with our first event in 2014 at the Chicago Printer's Row Lit Fest during which we had over 100 Readers! We have since grown to a group of over 60 volunteers who have participated in 14 (and counting) different events throughout the city of Chicago.

Over the last several years, we have facilitated over 400 conversations. We also recruited board members and have created the nonprofit Intersection, whose mission is dedicated to creating change through dialogue. We recently received our 501c3 status as a nonprofit with the IRS.

We are currently a 100% volunteer based organization. Additionally, our board members have shared their expertise at a conference for organizers in Poland, helped establish Human Libraries around the U.S., and helped to run other events in the U.S.

We have also established partnerships with the Chicago Public Library to bring events to branches around Chicago, National Veterans Art Museum to bring events to their venue for their After School Matters students to participate in, and most recently, we've established partnerships with Loyola University, Columbia College, and Nettlehorst Elementary School. 

For more information see:  Human Library Chicago on Facebook. Intersecion on Facebook.