Human Library works just like any other library – the readers come in and check out books for a designated period of time. However, the books are human beings who engage in a very personal dialogue with the reader.

The Human Library aims to promote the respect for human rights and human dignity, to draw attention to diversity in all its shapes and forms and to stimulate interpersonal dialogue.

The idea of a Human Library was initially developed by the “Stop the Violence” Danish organization, by five young people from Copenhagen in the aftermath of a violent attack on one of their friends. This brutality, out of which their friend thankfully survived, determined these youngsters to do something about it, to raise awareness and mobilize young Danes against violence. So, in 2000, „Stop the Violence” was organizing their first Living Library within the Roskilde Festival.

The first time when we have used the Human Library was in May of 2009, in the „Have a Lemon! Taste Diversity” campaign, and we have organized over 35 Living Libraries with shelves fille since then. We have had over 300 human books and over 5000 readers.

Our association is following the Human Library NGO model (www.humanlibrary.org ).