Implementing the human library concept in the university libraries in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Human Library (HL) is the same traditional library but the only difference is reading human books by listening to someone else's story. Listening and reading have become a primitive practice in the socio-cultural behaviour among university community due to the busy schedule, change of lifestyle, and especially global COVID pandemic. HL contributes to overcome this gap by creating an open platform for diversified social and ethnical groups to challenge prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination; and as a way to learn, educate, and change attitudes; to encourage reading; to express and share own ideas, stories, and experiences and knowledge; and to establish intellectual freedom among the university community. Thus, execution as an interactive learning platform, will be an added value to the university system in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this research is at the initial stage and expect valuable comments to carry out the future research successfully.

Objectives: (1) Initiating physically available human library program, (2) Initiating virtually available human library program, (3) Creating a digital human library archive project, (4) Managing the HL through an online reservation system.

Methods: This study will utilize Mix methods. Sample of 370 students and 278 academic staff selected through stratified sampling technique will answer the questionnaires. The unstructured interviews with the academic staff of the library will collect qualitative data.

Conclusion: HL concept will be implemented focusing on the 1st dimension of Human Library University system of Sri Lanka. By selecting University of Kelaniya to implement this HL concept as a new service to the traditional library scenario, this study expects to enhance the interactive learning process, knowledge sharing and research culture using process management theory implication