Human “Book”

San Mateo County Libraries strives to ignite growth, celebrate diversity, and create spaces that support discovery, enrich lives and uplift the community. To provide you with such transformative experiences, we are launching a Human Library.

The Human Library is now a worldwide phenomenon in which participants "borrow" a person for a twenty-minute conversation, much in the way you borrow a book to read.

The goal of the Human Library is to challenge misunderstanding and bias through meaningful, and deliberate person-to-person conversations. During the event, a collection of human "books" is available for "checkout" - meaning "readers" sign up for a time slot with a “book” of their choosing. "Books" are willing to answer questions from community members through these one-on-one interactions.

In similar programs at other libraries, “books” for checkout included a person who is blind, a Muslim, a police officer, a person who was formerly homeless, a DREAMer, opens a new window, a person who is transgender, a person who is developmentally disabled, in addition to others. To read more about Human Libraries, check out this article from The Economist, opens a new window.

Becoming a Human "Book”

The Library is building a "collection" of human "books" for our next Human Library event.

If you or someone you know wants to share, please fill out our interest form, opens a new window. We will contact you with the details.

Join Now, opens a new window

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