Inspired by the philanthropic and political history of Georgiana Verney’s Library, Compton Verney will be hosting the Human Library as a publishing partner between January and June 2022. The Human Library is, in the true sense of the word, a library of people – hosting events where readers can borrow human beings serving as open books and have conversations they would not normally have access to. Every human book from the bookshelf represents a group in our society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, or ethnic origin. Linking to our exhibition programme, the Human Library sessions will provide opportunities to engage with and ‘unjudge’ groups who are often misrepresented, by offering an alternative entry point through intimate conversations. Once a month, visitors can choose from several titles and loan a human book for a conversation in the surroundings of our inspiring and sometimes challenging ground floor collections.

Please go to the lending desk in the foyer to loan a book on the advertised event days, which will be: Sat 22 January, Sat 26 February, Sat 12 March, Sat 28 May, Sun 26 June