Living Library NL

What Living Library NL does

Living Library NL is a Netherlands-based nonprofit founded in 2014 (formalized in 2017) in Groningen that operates dialogue-based social intervention events under the Living Library methodology. At each event, members of the public ("readers") engage in structured 20-30 minute one-on-one or small-group conversations with "living books," individuals who personally experience prejudice based on identity factors such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, health status, religion, or social class. The methodology is anchored in Gordon Allport's Intergroup Contact Theory and is differentiated by pre-event training for living books and volunteers, a catalogue-based selection system, and safety protocols (Brave Space rules adapted from Arao and Clemens). Five independent academic theses from Dutch universities have validated the impact of the approach, including controlled pre/post surveys demonstrating sustained attitude change.

The organization runs three program lines: public Living Library events at libraries, festivals, and community venues (free for readers), "Living Library at School" for primary, secondary, and higher education aligned with Dutch citizenship education goals (kerndoel 38 and 43), and "Living Library for Employees" delivered to organizational clients for diversity and inclusion programming. Named clients include Heineken, Boston Consulting Group, Politie Nederland, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Gemeente Rotterdam, Gemeente Leiden, and Fonds Slachtofferhulp, among more than 50 organizations. The organization is affiliated with the Human Rights Programme of the Council of Europe and has received funding from Europe Direct, Provincie Gelderland, Erfgoed Gelderland, and Rijnbrink.

Living Library NL operates with a small core team of approximately 17 (including founder and director Martijn Bergsma and freelance project managers); living books and event volunteers are unpaid. Events span 30+ Dutch cities. Revenue is generated from fees paid by organizational clients and grants, while readers attend free of charge. Distribution includes in-person events, online editions introduced during COVID-19, and the Living Library De Podcast series (Seasons 1 and 2, 2024-2025) co-produced with Bibliotheek Berkel & IJssel and available on Spotify and YouTube. The Living Library concept is executed in more than 80 countries globally, providing latent international expansion potential though Living Library NL itself is Netherlands-focused.

Name

Living Library NL

Legal name

Living Library NL

Website

https://livinglibrary.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Living Library NL is a Dutch nonprofit that organizes structured dialogue events where members of the public converse with individuals who experience prejudice, serving corporate D&I clients, schools, and general audiences across 30+ Dutch cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversity and Inclusion Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Diversity and inclusion
• Intergroup dialogue events
• Social impact programs
• Human library methodology
• Prejudice reduction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Organizing Living Library events for organizations (B2B): Living Library NL organizes events within companies, organizations, and educational institutions for a fee. The Living Library is described as a 'protected concept' — organizations wishing to organize one must contact the organization. Events for employees and students are offered as a service to organizations.
2. Grants and institutional funding: Financial support from organizations such as Europe Direct (European Union), Provincie Gelderland, Erfgoed Gelderland, and Rijnbrink for specific programs such as the Living Library De Podcast. These are non-commercial funding sources.
3. Living books and volunteers are unpaid: Living books and volunteers do not receive payment for their participation. Participation as a living book or volunteer is entirely voluntary and unpaid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Living Library NL organizes structured dialogue events, known as 'Living Libraries', in which participants ('readers') have one-on-one conversations with volunteers ('living books') who have personal experience with prejudice, stigma, or social marginalization. Beyond the core public events, the organization delivers tailored programs for schools (Living Library at School) and corporate clients (Living Library for Employees), and produces a podcast series (Living Library De Podcast) that extends the dialogue format to audio.

Product overview

Living Library NL operates a social impact platform centered on its core Living Library event format, where visitors engage in 20-30 minute open conversations with living books — individuals who personally experience prejudice based on factors such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, health, or social status. The organization offers three main program variations: the core public Living Library events, Living Library at School (for ages 10+ in primary, secondary, and higher education with aligned educational goals), and Living Library for Employees (for organizational diversity and inclusion). Supporting offerings include Living Library De Podcast (making conversations accessible to broader audiences) and working books for school programs. The organization is connected to the Council of Europe's Human Rights Programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Living Library De Podcast: Podcast series featuring conversations with living books, produced in collaboration with Bibliotheek Berkel & IJssel

Products and services

• Living Library Events
• Living Library for Employees
• Living Library at School
• Living Library De Podcast
• Working Books for Schools

Quantifiable outcome

• Short voluntary conversations can change people's attitudes toward minority groups, as demonstrated in two controlled studies (Anna Handke, 2017, University of Groningen; Öykü Cantürk, 2023, Radboud University). Visitors were surveyed before, immediately after, and two weeks to one month later, showing sustained positive attitude change.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Bibliotheek Berkel & IJsselflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-initiator of Living Library De Podcast — a podcast series (season 1: 6 episodes in 2024; season 2: 6 episodes in 2025) making living book conversations accessible to a wider audience. The podcast is a joint initiative between Living Library NL and Bibliotheek Berkel & IJssel.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000The concept of the Living Library was originally developed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the year 2000 at the Roskilde Festival. The Council of Europe played a key role in spreading the concept across Europe. Living Library NL is connected to the Human Rights Programme of the Council of Europe.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Human Library Organization: The international steward of the original Human Library concept developed at Roskilde Festival in 2000. Operates the same living-book dialogue methodology that Living Library NL localizes in the Netherlands, making it the closest direct peer in product and methodology.
• StoryCorps: US-based nonprofit that records structured one-on-one conversations between people to build empathy and preserve unheard stories. Highly comparable methodology (facilitated dialogue, archive of recordings) adapted for cross-group understanding rather than prejudice reduction specifically.

Regional players

• Klassewerk / Stichting Klassewerk: Dutch civic education and citizenship organization working in schools on social issues, comparable to Living Library at School in aligning with Dutch citizenship education goals (kerndoel 38 and 43).
• The People's Meeting (De Mensenvergadering): Dutch dialogue-based civic engagement organization that brings together strangers for facilitated conversations on social issues. Closest regional peer operating with similar methodology in the same Dutch market.

Broad incumbents

• National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI): International nonprofit providing diversity, equity, and inclusion training and prejudice-reduction workshops for organizations and schools. Comparable B2B/B2E D&I training buyer base and use of structured dialogue methodologies.
• Facing History and Ourselves: Large international nonprofit delivering prejudice-reduction and civic education programs in schools, with structured classroom dialogue and educator training. Comparable in targeting schools for citizenship and anti-bias outcomes, though delivered as a curriculum rather than dialogue events.
• Museum of Tolerance: Simon Wiesenthal Center institution combining exhibits and dialogue-based programs on prejudice and discrimination. Comparable mission to reduce prejudice through structured personal engagement, delivered through a larger institutional format.

Emerging players

• Seeds of Peace: Nonprofit running facilitated dialogue programs for young people from conflicting communities. Overlaps with Living Library NL's school-based prejudice reduction work and use of trained facilitators and safety protocols.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@livinglibrarynl
• Facebookfacebook.com/LivingLibraryNL
• Instagraminstagram.com/livinglibrarynl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livinglibrarynl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Living Library NL