Volunteer

Volunteers are entirely responsible for the success of Human Library Twin Cities. There are a number of ways you can help.

Event Staff
Every Human Library event needs an array of helpers from Greeters to Librarians. Event staff ensure a positive experience for both the Readers and the Books. Volunteers for events need to be available for the duration of the event as well as some time to set up before and/or tear down afterwards. To begin the volunteer process, please complete our Volunteer Application.

Books
We encourage anyone who has experienced prejudice, social stigma, or stereotyping, to share their experience as a potential Book. Topics generally fall into one of eight broad categories:

  • Religious beliefs – examples include Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Questioning, Convert, and others
  • Sexuality/Gender – examples include Gay/Lesbian, Asexual, Transgender, and others
  • Ethnicity – examples include Asian, African, Native, Biracial, and others
  • Occupation – examples include Veteran, Woman in Tech, Police Officer, and others
  • Lifestyle – examples include Naturalist, Body Modifier, Homeschool, and others
  • Political conviction – examples include Feminist, Socialist, Vegan, and others
  • Social status – examples include Homeless, Refugee, Ex-Convict, Welfare Recipient, and others
  • Health & disability – examples include Mental Illness, Autism, Amputee, Abuse Survivor, Wheelchair User, and others

This list is not meant to be all-inclusive but rather to help generate ideas for possible Book topics. If you are willing to share your story, please apply to be a volunteer Book. We also encourage people to recommend book topics they think would be interesting or people they know that may make good books. Book volunteers do go through a careful selection and training process so they are able to comfortably converse with strangers on their topic.

Organizational Support
As an all-volunteer organization, literally every task that needs to be done needs a volunteer to do it. We need your help from answering incoming emails, to keeping the website up to date, to keeping accurate financial records, and more! If you have some spare time and a skill or talent you would like to share with Human Library Twin Cities, please let us know. To begin the volunteer process, please complete our Volunteer Application.