Imagine students crowding around a door that leads into a room full of human books. Instead of textbooks filled with graphs, facts and scholarly research, these books are people who have stories to tell from their unique experiences and perspectives.

On March 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lone Star College-North Harris invites the public to visit its campus to check out one or more of the 30+ books from its library. However, this is not your average collegiate library; this is a human library. 

The books are actually individuals sharing their personal narratives and answering questions. Stories include growing up in segregated Houston, the downward spiral of addiction and one-day-at-a-time recovery, the return from war to face the challenges of readjusting to civilian life, the escape from a minimum wage future through a college education, the daily fight with a chronic disease, surviving cancer, the value of faith and conviction—and more.

“We’re very excited about this event,” says Mark Barnes, librarian and event chair, “because of its potential to change people’s attitudes and behaviors toward other members in our community. The Human Library, by design, challenges prejudice and discrimination through social contact. It’s much more difficult to objectify a group of people when you connect with someone and listen to his story—the alcoholic is no longer just a repulsive drunk living under a bridge, but he’s the man sitting across from you telling his story of redemption and recovery. That’s the power of the Human Library, the power of story.”

Funded by “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History,” a public programming initiative produced by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association, the Human Library is co-sponsored by the LSC-North Harris Library and the Center for Civic Engagement.

The event is free and open to the public to attend. For more information, email Mark.K.Barnes@LoneStar.edu.

Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.

Lone Star College has been opening doors to a better community for more than 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSC remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with almost 83,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 95,000, Lone Star College is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., is the chancellor of LSC, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, seven centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.

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List of available books for checkout:

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