The Human Libraries Hub

    Project: Research project

    Project Details

    Description

    Background: Human Library is an international movement that uncovers unique stories and challenges social prejudice, in which the “Books” are people, and the “Reading” is a conversation. Human Libraries Hub (HLH) is a project inspired by the Human Library movement, which is a one-stop online platform that supports searching, matching, and promotion of Human Books. The operation of this platform is mediated by human staff, and enabled by structured educational activities in physical settings. Objectives: This proposed project has four broad objectives: A) To theorize an HLH practice model which serves to promote social connectedness, and an open and inclusive culture in Hong Kong, B) To develop and evaluate the HL practice, C) To enhance social connections between project participants and stakeholders from different walks of life, D) To pilot a sustainable business model for the HL practice. The program: The HLH will operate using a recurring 6-month-cycle, each covers its thematic Book series. In an HL cycle, participants will be engaged in activities requiring low commitment to activities requiring very high commitment. These activities include: i) school/college based guesst speaker sharing activities, ii) Reading workshops in public venues, iii) Book review production workshops, iv) self-curating workshops for potential Books, v) Different types of award schemes, vi) Book Review competitions, vii) Tailor-made workshops for corporates/NGOs, and viii) Workshops for HLH staff and volunteers. Participants can enter and leave the program at different time points basing on their different levels of commitment. Evaluation methods: This project will adopt a case study approach which covers both quantitative and qualitative methods. There are three major methodological components, namely: a single system multiple baseline pretest-posttest experiment, practitioner focus groups, and participant focus groups. Significance: Our HL practice model presents a meta-framework that helps inform the synthesis of a wide range of conceptions, program activities and research studies. The findings will help open the discussion of using HL as a “soft” method to reduce polarized social prejudices.
    StatusFinished
    Effective start/end date1/02/1831/07/21

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