Human Libraries: Creating Conversations

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Thomas E. Poulin
August 19, 2024

Public administrators are tasked with meeting or exceeding the needs and expectations of diverse communities in an effective, efficient and responsive manner. This suggests a requirement to understand these needs and expectations, which is not always possible given that so many live within their own personal “bubbles.” Developing a human library might help pierce those bubbles, ensuring that public services are valued and valuable to the recipients.

Human libraries emerged in Copenhagen, Denmark, over 20 years ago. They have now appeared in other cities and nations. The intent was to help reduce bias and prejudice by fostering an environment whereby individuals could interact with others with whom they otherwise might not have substantively engaged with. The aspiration was that interacting with those from differing cultures, ethnicities and religions might help pierce the personal bubbles of each individual, supporting more cohesive communities through communication and mutual respect.  

Everyone creates their own personal bubble. It is influenced by their individual professional, family and social spheres of life. This includes the field in which they work, the stores where they shop, the groups to which they belong and the media (including the news) they view or read. It can create a misperception that their bubble is the norm, or worse, that it is the only valid perception of the world—and this has the potential to affect the delivery of public services.

There is no physical human library. The library analogy is just a useful, approachable frame so people might more easily envision “checking out” a person instead of a book. The checking out process is done via scheduling—finding a time compatible with the individual schedules of each participant. There is no cost for participating, though public administrators may find they must reallocate some funding for administrative support activities. The participating  “human books” do not have to be paid, though it might be beneficial to partner with a non-profit to provide a modest stipend through donations to those participants requiring some level of support. The meetings would be scheduled at some place of public accommodation such as a public park, a library, or a coffee shop—any place readily accessible and suitable for a private conversation.  

It would be necessary to recruit people to serve as human books. Based upon the intent of the original human libraries, this should include individuals from differing ethnicities, nationalities, religions and cultures. It might also include those from the LGBTQ+ community. If the purpose is to break through personal bubbles, it might also include those from other groups that are not well known to the public, but whose lives are the focus of many public policies. A list of potential backgrounds might include farmers, the homeless, active duty military or veterans, agricultural workers, teachers, immigrants, factory workers, substance abusers, the poor, union leaders, firefighters, laborers, hunters, refugees, wait staff, maintenance workers, law enforcement officials and the survivors of a disaster, among others. They must be willing to speak openly and freely about their experiences, recognizing that many questions will be based on ignorance and preconceptions, not malice. Public administrators might wish to partner with differing social groups and non-profits in their communities to identify willing participants, as this might align with the mission of their organizations too.

Those who wish to check out a human book must be informed that this is an opportunity to learn about those from their communities with whom they rarely interact. They may ask almost anything, as long as they do so in a respectful manner in the spirit of inquiry. They should not be trying to challenge, convert, abuse or preach to the human books, as this would be disrespectful, judgmental and patronizing. If either participant in a conversation felt uncomfortable, the discussion topic could be changed or the meeting could end. The human library is not designed to create debate or an argument in a negative, challenging or uncomfortable manner. The goal is self-development through the acquisition of new knowledge, which in these instances contributes to a better understanding of others in the community.

There are several potential practical gains for having a human library in any community. From a broader perspective, by piercing the personal bubbles of individuals at their request it might be possible to support a more cohesive, diverse community. This might contribute to increased civil engagement, higher levels of civil discourse and fewer social challenges in the community as systemic issues might be more readily addressed through effective, realistic strategies.

For public sector leaders, this type of approach, even in a limited form, might help provide their employees gain a richer understanding of the needs and expectations of the entire community they serve. And, how better to help them to pierce their private bubbles and know others better than by having them sit down and have a conversation with someone new?

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Author: Thomas E. Poulin, PhD, SHRM-CP, IPMA-CP, is a training and development consultant and part-time public administration faculty at Columbia Southern University.  He served in local government and non-profits for more than 30 years, and has taught public administration and related topics for nearly 20. He may be reached at [email protected].

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