Human Library

This is a story of addiction and recovery in Northern Nevada and at the University of Nevada, Reno. This book experienced addiction that led to nearly being incarcerated and dropping out of college. Now, this book is a 4.0 student and about to graduate with over three years of sobriety. This book will share his stories and also talk about resources in Reno and on the University campus for sober students, sober-curious students, people in recovery, as well as students with family and friends in recovery or currently struggling with substance use disorders.

One event changed the way this book sees the world--the experiences of recovering from a traumatic brain injury, seizures, and memory loss. While living abroad, this book slipped on some ice, and the fall resulted in a traumatic brain injury. This is a story about the severity of the injury and its effects on daily life. This story discusses what it feels like to have amnesia and seizures and how to deal with the changes that occurred in their brain.  

"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of 2 characters; one represents danger and the other opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger -- and recognize the opportunity." - JFK 
This book describes how she has lived through two crises in a lifetime: A civil war in her native country at the age of 16 and the the COVID pandemic at the age of 60 in the U.S. This story talks about the dangers and the opportunities that came out of both.

This book tells the story of being a Holocaust survivor. When she was 2 1/2 years old, this book was taken to a host family by the resistance. During the rest of the war, she was continuously moved in order to keep her safe. This Holocaust survivor fights against any form of discrimination.

This book tells her story of coming out as lesbian. At first, this book thought she was bisexual and asexual.  It took being with four guys to realize she was wrong. She ended up in a very serious relationship with a conservative Christian when she realized she was a lesbian. She came out partly because she was outed by her ex to her parents.

This book has learned that understanding who they are will always be offensive to someone, including dealing with a family who doesn't accept them. This book talks about their journey of self-discovery and empowerment through counseling and how that doesn't always giving you the answers you are looking for.

“PTSD” is an opportunity for readers to gain a whole new perspective on what PTSD is, who it affects and why. PTSD is not something exclusively brought home from war or a near death experience. It is a severe condition that is a daily battle for those who suffer from it.

As the first black, female student body president at a predominantly white college, this book will talk about her inauguration night when she was put on trial and forced to defend her identity. She did not let this one night ruin her experience. This story will be about her positive experiences even as she was fighting back.

This book tells his story of growing up with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a progressive autoimmune condition that begins in the hips and travels up the spine attacking the joints. In the medical field, people often say "think horses, not zebras" when trying to diagnose someone. That is, think of the common conditions before the rare ones. Unfortunately, the doctors should have been thinking "zebras."

The book tells the story of how she rescues dogs, helps to rehabilitate them, and finds them forever homes. Operating a dog rescue is more than it seems: it isn't always puppies and slobber kisses. This books shares stories about making decisions of which animals to rescue and how difficult it can be to walk away when you know you are a dog's last chance.

This book shares stories about the challenges of being a single mom of three toddlers, how she is learning to balance work and babies in a chaotic world, and the daily struggles of coping while trying to succeed. 

This book describes their journey with social anxiety, including how it started, when it was at its worst, and seeking help. They offer an honest perspective of trying to overcome it while knowing they are still walking on the path to recovery.

“Age is but a number”--we are never too old to continue our education. This book tells her story of perseverance through poverty, homelessness, mental health, unemployment, and what it means to live in the moment. Her stories focus on being a single Latina parent and choosing to see the world as her canvas and her experiences as works of art.