Human Library

From November 3rd to November 5th, the Ross Pendergraft Library, in cooperation with the Department of Diversity & Inclusion, will host three page-turning presentations to introduce the Arkansas Tech community to our new Human Library program.

  • November 3rd: “Four Blacks at Tech” by Barbara Lackey
  • November 4th: “My Disability Doesn’t Define My Ability” by Bshaer Alharazi
  • November 5th: “Zack, the Deaf Trans” by Zack Stone

All presentations will begin at 10:00 am in RPL 326.

The Human Library program, now an international movement, allows readers to check out a human “book” at designated times for a 30 minute conversation, including 10 additional minutes for questions.  The books are living, breathing people who have overcome challenges of prejudice, social injustice, stereotypes, or disability.  Readers are encouraged to ask the book questions and have meaningful conversations about difficult subjects like race, gender identification, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.   The ultimate goal is to help people learn about the life and experiences of an individual who may have been stereotyped, misunderstood, or avoided, in an effort to promote greater understanding and compassion in our communities.

Drop by our presentations to learn more about our Human Library, or check out a human book today.  They are available for one-on-one conversations or smaller classes (up to 15 students) to allow for a more casual and safe environment.  Call 479-964-0571 or sign up for a time-slot at the Reference Desk to reserve one of our books.  You can also send us an email at askalibrarian@atu.edu to request a time or ask additional questions about the program.

Become more well-read about life—check out a book from our Human Library today.

human library