The Copenhagen library that doesn't lend books but people

CopenhagenAt a time when polarization and hate speech against minorities are spreading, and when face-to-face communication between people is increasingly difficult to achieve, there is a movement in Copenhagen that goes against the grain. In a green corner of the Danish capital is the "human library" (Menneskebiblioteket in Danish), where, unlike traditional libraries, you don't borrow books, but rather people with whom you can converse. Each book on its shelves represents a group of people who are not very visible in society and who are often subjected to prejudice, discrimination or stigmatization.

A book A human being can be a transgender person, or obese, an alcoholic, an autistic person, or someone who has suffered sexual abuse. "We encourage people to ask really difficult questions," explains Ronni Abergel, who founded the library 25 years ago. Abergel emphasizes that "no question is off-limits, no matter how sensitive the subject," although people on loan can set the limits of what they do not want to answer. "We want the book "It's not a good idea to return it on time and in the same condition as it was loaned, you can't take it home," explains Abergel.

During the 30 minutes that the loan lasts, conversations flow freely and in a calm environment in a garden. "The goal is to create safe spaces in which we are the ones who can explore diversity, learn how we would never know; readers also challenge their unconscious biases," says Abergel.

The project was born as performance at the Roskilde Music Festival, and has since been exported to over 80 countries, giving people from all over the world and from different backgrounds the opportunity to sit together and talk. For example, LGBTIQ+ people are encouraged to meet ultra-conservative Christians, or climate change activists are encouraged to have a conversation with someone who thinks global warming is a hoax.

Recently, the Menneskebiblioteket foundation opened another Human Library in Jerusalem, where the organizers say they aim to bring people together without "any book being judged by its cover." Abergel insists that in an increasingly polarized world, the library aims to help people be "less apprehensive, more open, more understanding, and accepting of other people's right to be different."

Project in danger

Under the book Frederik's (fictitious name) story is titled Autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). He has been participating in the Human Library for 9 years with the aim of breaking stereotypes about people with the same diagnoses. At the same time, conversations with his readers They've also helped her in other aspects of her life, such as improving her social skills. "People with autism have difficulty with empathy, social understanding, and reading body language, which is why many people tell me I behave like an elephant in a glass box," she says.

For Mathilde (also her real name), the Human Library has helped her overcome the shame and fear of stigma associated with giving up a child for adoption when she was 15. The baby was born from an early relationship with an older man, and both her doctor and her parents insisted that she not talk about it. Now, Mathilde is 75 years old and, for the first time, can speak openly about an episode that marked her life. "Now I have no trauma or regret. When I decided to participate in the Human Library, I called my best friend, who knew nothing about what had happened to me, and since then, I've been writing the pages of my book," she explains.

The project has also caught the attention of large companies such as Lego, Novo Nordisk, Heineken or the International Monetary Fund itself to carry out reading rooms, where employees receive training in diversity. Abergel explains that this is the library's main source of funding, a project that he believes "has acquired greater relevance" in the current political climate, when "the world seems more divided than ever by the social media bubble, political beliefs, and demagogues who incite divisions in order to gain power."

Although the Human Library will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary, Abergel believes it is in a critical situation, especially due to the actions of governments like Donald Trump's in the US.. "Many of ours books They are part of vulnerable groups that have seen their aid cut, and, in addition, policies against diversity, equity, and inclusion have caused some companies, especially in the US, to suddenly stop their diversity programs, and that has affected us," he laments.