On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Pattee Library and Paterno Library will host the first Penn State Human Library. You may be asking yourself, “What is a Human Library?” Imagine a place where readers are able to “check out” a Human “book” and engage that book in “conversations that challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue” (humanlibrary.org). It’s a way for ordinary people to open up and share their experiences with others in a supportive and safe environment.

There are no limits to the people who can participate as books. We all have a story and there are plenty of people out there willing to listen. To see an example of a Human Library experience at Glendale Community College in Arizona, please view this video.

Planning began in July 2016 with members of a variety of campus departments coming together: Adult Learner Programs and Services, Center for Women Students, Counseling and Psychological Services, LGBTQA Student Resource Center, Multicultural Resource Center, Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Penn State Hillel, Schreyer Honors College, University Office of Global Programs and the University Libraries. The first task for the committee was to establish learning goals, objectives, and outcomes for the program. The goal? For participants to further their understanding of, and tolerance for, individuals with experiences different from their own.

If you are interested in participating in the Penn State Human Library as a reader, feel free to sign up with a book here: http://tinyurl.com/human-psulibs.

Learn more about the Human Library experience coming to Penn State by reading the Penn State News article on the upcoming event.

– submitted by Megan Gilpin, Library Learning Services