Thunder Bay Human Library is your chance to meet a 'human book'

A war vet, a vegan, and a former NHL player will be among the 'human books' on loan at Thunder Bay's fourth annual Human Library, taking place on Saturday May 2. 

The Human Library is an opportunity for members of the public to have a one-on-one conversation with a "human book" willing to share his or her personal story.

The idea, which originated in Copenhagen in 2000, is designed to break down stereotypes and build understanding through conversation. For Stephen Price, a U.S. army veteran now living in northwestern Ontario, it's a chance to talk to people about the widespread impact of post traumatic stress disorder on soldiers.

"It's obvious to see the veteran that's lost his arm, or lost his leg, or has burn scars... but for every veteran that you can see their scars, there's ten that carry around deeper scars on the inside. And I think it's importance to raise awareness about that," he said. 

Price, who is originally from Texas, did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

"Needless to say I was in a lot of combat," he said. 

He was faced with new challenges when he returned home. Haunted by his experiences overseas, Price struggled to readjust to civilian life.

"It was learning how to live with the scars and learning how to live life again, because what I learned is that nobody who goes into combat comes out unscarred," he said. "Everybody comes out changed."

The Human Library event is hosted by the Thunder Bay Public Library, in partnership with Leadership Thunder Bay.

The event takes place on Saturday, May 2 at the Waverley Resource Library on Red River Road, from 10:30 am until 3:00 pm. During that time anyone can drop by and "check-out" a book for a short conversation. 

The full list of books can be found here.