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Read a good book recently?

I have. On Sunday, I “checked out” Sex at 70 at the Vancouver Public Library’s central branch and settled into a quiet corner on the ninth floor for an engrossing 20-minute “read.”

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Sex at 70 is a “human book,” one of about a dozen available this weekend at the Human Library, which allows people to “borrow” a human being to listen to their personal stories and ask them questions.

The project started in Denmark in 2000 as a response to a hate crime. Its goal was to encourage dialogue and reduce stigma and stereotypes by connecting people who might otherwise not have a chance to sit down and talk. Since then, the concept has spread to 80 countries.

In Vancouver, the Human Library started eight years ago as part of the PuSh festival. This year, organizers Zee Zee Theatre decided to go solo, holding three Human Library events at VPL in February, April and September.

“The whole project is built around getting to know other humans in other walks of life and demystifying other people’s experiences,” said producer Emily Neumann.