2018 Volume 16 Pages 33-44
Since its start in Denmark in 2000, the Human Library has rapidly spread to over 90 countries throughout the world. Based on the last decade of hosting the Human Library at Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan, the author examines the results of a survey sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to measure the role the program plays in reducing prejudice amongst the “readers,” and the effect the program has had on the students in the Yokota Seminar who serve as “Librarians.” The author suggests that the inherent structure of the Human Library generates a rich narrative that leads to a multitude of potential outcomes and a wealth of learning applications. The author closes with a compilation of potential applications of the Human Library based on his experience.
