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'Human Library' in Owensboro Aims to Start Conversations in the Community

Daviess County Public Library

A program at the Daviess County Public Library will allow residents to check out a different kind of book.

Saturday’s Human Library will feature individuals with unique perspectives who can be checked out by those interested in having a conversation.

Some of the individuals who have volunteered for the program include two transgender individuals, a Muslim woman, a vegan, an atheist, a bisexual, a female Unitarian Universalist minister, and Burmese refugees.

Lisa Maiden, with the Daviess County Public Library, says the Human Library is a way to learn about people in the community you might not normally meet.

"Being different can sometimes be scary to other people, because if you don't know about it, and the only information you get is from the news, a lot of that information tends to be sensationalized for the 'wow' factor."

Those who 'check out' one of the human books can have up to a half-hour conversation with them at the library.

"We refer to those people as our 'books', and so they can check out these people who have been discriminated against, who have experienced prejudices in our community, who have been marginalized," Maiden said.

The Human Library program is being held Saturday, June 11, at the Daviess County Public Library, from1 to 5 pm.

Kevin is the News Director at WKU Public Radio. He has been with the station since 1999, and was previously the Assistant News Director, and also served as local host of Morning Edition.
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