Human Library

Life is a balancing act

This is a story about how art and interpersonal relationships have allowed this book to find a balance in life. The book describes how she uses art as a tool to help people understand how mental disorders affect people and to create connections to help people deal with their disorders. 

Facing racism and discrimination

This story is about coming to the U.S. from Africa as a 9-year-old in 2006, reunited with her mum who had been working in California since 2001, and getting US citizenship her senior year of high school. This book tells the story of a student who faces racism but chooses to focus on her goal of becoming a doctor.

Eliminate the stigma

Severe depression and anxiety are not often openly discussed. Many people deal with their mental health without understanding or help. This book discusses the challenges of the invisible mental scars of depression and anxiety in an attempt to help remove the stigmas attached to mental health.

Invisible Disabilities

As a high functioning person with disabilities, many of this books' physical challenges are invisible to others. This mismatch means that the limitations experienced because of the disability are misunderstood. This book describes how she must walk the challenging line of functioning so well that people question her disability and using mobility devices that lead people to treat her as fragile.

An Internal Battle

Coping with depression is hard, but doing it while being a student, good employee, and remaining caring to others is a constant battle. This is the story of an open book about depression and helping people understand the challenges that come with it.

Not Hispanic enough

This story is about being the child of immigrants and always being aware of her heritage. Her parents speak Spanish and Latin culture was always around. However, she was never taught the language. Growing up she always struggled with her cultural identity; being told that you're not Hispanic enough was always demoralizing. This book tells the story of finding a balance between her cultural identity and her place in the Hispanic community.

Blending In

This book is a story about being Muslim, Arab, and female, in both the U.S. and Egypt. This book has faced the challenges of being female in the male-dominated society of Egypt and of being Arab and Muslim in the fear-based society of the U.S. This book describes the challenges of blending into society with her international background, religion, and culture.

How many gynecologists does it take? 

Being in pain and searching for answers, this is a story about being an advocate for your own health and wellbeing. This book shares the challenges she has faced dealing with endometriosis and the pain and shame that came with it, including meeting with eight different gynecologists before someone listened and offered help.

Church of the Latter-day ‘Aints 2nd Edition 

This is a story with a humorous approach to being Mormon, in a homophobic setting where, "if you're gay, you're going to hell" could be heard regularly. This book tells his story of coming to terms with sexual identity and realizing it took moving away from home to be one's self.

Finding a place to call home

This is a story about living a homeless life, moving between weekly motels throughout Reno. This books describes the experiences of getting turned away from government buildings, restaurants, and stores because no one wants a homeless person in their establishments and the new experience of having his own apartment after decades of a homeless life.

Longing to belong

Identity found within a family structure may not always allow for self-prioritization. This is a story about finding the balance between self and family. The reality is family may not always be what is best for the self.

I'm still here. 

A candid story of the daily struggles with depression and anxiety as a male, this story follows the author through suicide attempts, self-medication, and the semblance of sanity. This book hopes his story helps others feel less alone.

Creating miracles with the right mindset

Following fights for equality in and out of school systems and work places, this is a story about how a gay Latina finds the curious strength to move on from the harrowing ordeals of trauma, discrimination, and surgeries to find herself. By embracing the power of diversity and optimism when dealing with adversity, peace is achievable.

Pursuing a better life

After immigrating from El Salvador at a young age, this story talks about navigating a new culture and a new language while coping with racial discrimination and biases. Now in studying at a university, this book faces age discrimination and biases, but hopes to help other people achieve a better life like the one she is pursuing.

The past can't define me

Growing up in an abusive and conservative religious household with seven siblings and a dad who never stopped sexually abusing her or her siblings, this story is about the resilience it has taken to continue. This author has also navigated the justice system, got engaged, lost a parent, coped with the suicide or her finance's best friend, and now hopes she can provide strength for others to move forward.

Finding progress in small steps

This is a story about returning to school for a second career in archeology, facing ageism, and finding ways to navigate through the challenges of life. This book uses his humor and experiences to engage his readers in exploring perspectives.

Accepting help for mental health

Being ashamed of mental health difficulties was the norm for this book. But they tell the story of having the courage to seek help for mental health. Learning to accept help and to understand themselves, this story moves from victim to advocate in an attempt to speak up about this stigmatized topic so that others can be educated and supported.

The ripple effects of abuse

This is a story about how the emotional and mental abuse in a relationship can be just as harmful as physical abuse. For this story, the repercussions of abusive relationships have led to bulimia, self-harm, and even suicide attempts.

Impacts of a culture clash

Getting engaged should be a time for celebration, but when family cultures clash and blatant racism and hostility surface, a celebration can become a crisis. This book will discuss how love brought together the contrasting cultures of a Southern Baptist family and an Indian Hindu family. This book describes the tough choices she had to make to stand up for what she believed to bring together family, hope, and love.

Age doesn't matter, the difference made does.

Working with communities is a big job. This doesn't mean a kid can't do it. This story talks about how a hardworking and determined 11-year-old did his part to maintain a national treasure. It's a reminder that it's never too early or too late to get inspired.

After studying abroad not once but twice experiencing culture shock abroad, and then returning home, this is the story of a teacher who knows what it is like to feel like home is not home anymore.

Originating from the Middle East and marrying a Mexican, this is the story of the director of IELC and how she has been fortunate enough not to experience discrimination. She firmly believes that people gain the most valuable insights about the world through exchange programs.

From Typhoid and Malaria to language barriers and homesickness, he has lived it all. This book shares his story of traveling around the world and his crazy experiences along the way.

This is a story about falling in love with food, experiences, culture, and a lifestyle different from her own – encouraging others to do the same if they have the chance.

Taking an English class is not the first thing that comes to mind when booking a vacation on a cruise ship. This story tells the tale of an English teacher who taught aboard a boat!

New family, new food, new language, new surroundings, and new experiences. This is the story of adjusting to life abroad in Germany and what it is like to be immersed into an unknown culture.

Studying abroad in Japan, the story tells of facing prejudices as a foreigner. Foreigners in Japan are sometimes seen as annoying but also very exotic, making for a lot of interesting interactions, usually funny. Social norms in Japan are also quite different, so it can be hard to make friends. Nonetheless, a lot of respect for Japanese language and culture was gained.

Working one-on-one with international students allows a story to be told about assisting student writers and gaining insight into their diverse experiences. Imagine juggling widely different cultural experiences during back-to-back writing consultations--each student's unique experience molding a new perspective on learning and teaching. Stepping into the shoes of our undergraduate and graduate multilingual writers brings some of the richest opportunities to support writing. 

Coming to the U.S. from Africa as a 9-year- old in 2006, reunited with her mum who had been working in California since 2001, and getting US citizenship her senior year of high school, this story is about a student who faces racism but chooses it to focus on her goal of becoming a doctor.

A story about being Muslim, Arab, and Female, in both the U.S and Egypt . In the U.S, there is a fear of Arabs and Muslims. In Egypt there are the challenges of being female in a male dominated society. Her international background, religion, and culture makes it hard to blend within society.