'Human Library' At Baltimore County Library, Owings Mills Branch

From the Baltimore County Public Library: The Human Library is a place where real people are on loan to readers and difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered. It’s designed to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue. Come check out a living book and learn about a different culture, belief system or member of the community through questions and conversations.

About Our Human Books

Join us on Saturday, July 27 at the Owings Mills Branch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to meet our human books. Participants for “checkout” include, but are not limited to the following.

A Dog’s Love

Lynn was still in high school when she found herself the adult at home because of her mother’s schizophrenia. Lynn's own family members shunned her mother and refused to be a part of her life, thereby shunning Lynn and isolating her, making her a strong independent woman. But this isolation also created a deep inability to trust others. However, Lynn learned that she could always rely on the family dog. It was through this relationship that Lynn discovered how to love, even those who hurt and abandoned her. Lynn's respect of the therapeutic benefits of pets led her to a career in animal-assisted therapy where she now helps others discover unconditional love and forgiveness.

Transformation Over Time

His life has been one of inner transformation through various spiritual paths. Sometimes intentional, other times not so much. He often felt alone and confused, and envied those who had clarity and certainty. Born into the Jewish faith, he attends a Unitarian Universalist congregation and is a practicing Buddhist. His life has truly been a "Transformation Over Time."

Waiting for a Sign

Amy, like many of her peers, was raised in the mainstream and learned to read lips at an early age, but if the teacher was facing away from her, she had no idea what was being said. By the time she figured out which of her fellow students was talking, the conversation had often moved on. She didn’t discover sign language until college where she discovered the library and the books that opened the world to her.

The Pain Is Real

Whitney was only 25 when her husband died, leaving her a single mother of two children, one with autism. Even the strongest faith gets tested sometimes. Whitney shares about her journey to trust God and keep the faith after tragedy. The "Pain is Real," but the promise is eternal.

Autistic: Not a Robot

Raised in a family with a severely autistic sibling, Deborah was an adult before she realized that she also had Asperger syndrome. Considered "high functioning" and bilingual (fluent in standard human and robot), she often finds herself "interpreting" for those who have misunderstood or are misunderstanding. She raises a lot of eyebrows because she's so "normal"—read: friendly, communicative, successful—but she wants you to know that she's "Autistic: Not a Robot."

Through His Incarceration

Bettye is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She spent her life trying to protect her son from the city streets. He went to private school, played sports and was involved in extracurricular activities, but somewhere along the road he got lost. It was a path that eventually led to 10 years of his life incarcerated. Bettye was determined to get her son back—healthy and whole—so the work began. Bettye’s son is now a success story because she learned so much "Though His Incarceration."

This press release was produced by the Baltimore County Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.