At the Human Library, you talk to a person instead of reading a book

You choose someone to talk to the way you might choose a book. Once you sit down, you ask questions and listen. The Human Library brings people together for conversations in which volunteers are the books. The format gives readers time to ask about a person’s experience and follow up on what they hear.

The volunteers have lived experience of the subjects they discuss. Disability, faith, background and social circumstances are among the topics that can expose people to prejudice or discrimination. A reader can ask someone directly about experiences that the title of a book can only suggest. Each volunteer speaks from their own life and perspective, rather than representing everyone in a group.

The organizers describe their aim as creating a place where people can use questions to examine prejudice. Participants can raise things they might usually hesitate to ask, but the encounter is not intended to put someone on the spot. A conversation depends on willing participation and clear conditions for both people. Calling someone a book is a way of framing the encounter with a real person.

The program began in Denmark in 2000. Events take place in libraries, museums, schools and at festivals, and conversations can also happen online. It is not simply a permanent attraction that travelers can visit at any time. The books available and the way to take part depend on the local organizer and the event.

Copenhagen’s Reading Garden often appeared in travel coverage. It opened in 2020 and, according to the organization, closed in October 2025. Older photographs and travel reports may still show it as a place to visit. Human Library programs continue elsewhere.

Reading here moves at the pace of conversation. An answer can change the question you meant to ask, or lead to a discussion about an ordinary part of someone’s day. Once you sit down, the idea is simple: ask the person you first encountered as a title about the life beyond it.