EVERYONE HAS A STORY: THE HUMAN LIBRARY EXPERIENCE Ryan Ake Susquehanna University Corri Hines Public Library of Union County Elizabeth Kielley Messiah College Starting a Human Library event in your area is not difficult, but does take significant planning Here's an outline of information to think about as you begin planning your event Planning Logistics First things first Make sure you fill out your New Organizer Application through the HumanLibrary.org website Determine spaces for the event including an area for participants to register, quiet spaces for one-on-one or small group conversation, & a separate location for human books to take a break from conversation Recruit volunteers from local service organizations or school districts to assist during the event Hold an orientation for speakers to discuss their roles as human books, the layout of the program, and the timeline of the event Advertise your program through social media, local newspapers, flyers, etc Utilize your partners to help spread the word Provide questions for both speakers and readers to ask to start their conversations Provide a list of responses for speakers to use if they are not comfortable sharing information that is too personal Clearly post the Human Library Rules of Behavior to encourage both speakers and participants to maintain a safe space for sharing stories Collect feedback from both participants and speakers Access our collection of documents at: bit.ly/HLdocuments Partnering Organizations Consider collaborating with local organizations in the community and those on your campus to recruit books, provide financial support, offer staffing and more The Human Library United Way Campus Office of Diversity Diversity and Inclusion Councils Volunteer recruitment organizations Local religious groups Centers for cultural development Tips for Avoiding Pitfalls Ask human books for permission to use their name, book title, picture, etc Meet with press/reporters to highlight human books who have given permission to be covered in media Recruit a mediator or counselor as a resource for any human books or participants during the event Hold sensitivity training for volunteers to understand the expectations of the program and to advise on conduct during tense situations Create a catalog of human books to publish on your library website or libguide for participants to review prior to the event Decide whether you will allow walk-in readers or if you will require all readers to register prior to the event Contact Information : Ryan Ake Susquehanna University ake@susqu.edu Corri Hines Public Library of Union County chines@publibuc.org Elizabeth Kielley Messiah College ekielley@messiah.edu