Listen&Learn: Human Libraries

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Places for people to tell their stories and learn about each other.

Pre-listening vocabulary

organization: a group of people who have a goal
diverse: including people of many different backgrounds and identities
volunteer: someone who offers to do something for free
borrow: to take something and return it later
stereotype: a generalized belief about a group of people
empathize: to understand someone’s feelings and experiences

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20455″]

Discussion/essay questions

Would you ever visit a Human Library? What do you think you could learn?

Transcript

In 2000, an organization in Denmark started a project called “The Human Library”. This library was not meant for borrowing books. Instead, visitors could “borrow” a person and listen to their story. The event had a diverse group of volunteers with unique experiences to share. The Human Library’s goal was to challenge stereotypes. By meeting one-on-one, the visitors and volunteers got a chance to empathize with each other. The first event was very successful, and the Human Library began to travel around the world. Over 80 countries have now held Human Library events. Some countries have even built permanent Human Libraries that people can visit at any time.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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24 comments

Pranjal Sharma says:

That’s soo good to here about it.
Pranjal Sharma says:

That’s soo good to here about it. it’s a good subject
M.charitha thanvi says:

nice experience this is more use to me
kanishka jaswal says:

never knew their was a human library thanks for the new imformation , i received today.
PEDDIREDDY SAI SUSMITHA says:

Interesting
Lakshmi.s says:

I am excited to learn this
Jayashree says:

Thank you
Kuluru Suchitra says:

Very interesting story
Jayashree says:

Thank you for sharing with us
Likitha Varma says:

Interesting
L Nandini says:

👍
Nur alyaa says:

I can improve my english information for my excellent idea.
thi thi says:

Thank you for the interesting and useful story
I can learn something good from this story
Jesus Thecock says:

yo watsup bro
nguyen huong says:

this is a interesting story
Moon says:

The knowledge is really useful.
GLON jOSEPH says:

I always like your reports
and mainly the comments written by the readers/listeners
It’s very very intersesting and profitable
congratulations thank you
gholamreza tajik says:

Thanks, it was so useful.
Rojan says:

Thank you very much and wish all the best for sharing to us.
It was so useful.
Ioana Lyminita says:

I am grateful for such an intelligent opportunity to improve my English and get interesting information.
Thank you all and wish you much health and joy.
David Osorio says:

Excellent article about the need for meeting different kind of people around the world in order to share amazing experiences.
The King Of Love From IRAN says:

Thank you so much for sharing it with us,
Diny Van Lier says:

it is very nice to listen the stories,thanks
Vic says:

Very attractive subjects. I like it, thanks.