Libraries offer books and mental health resources

The Public Libraries in the United States Survey: Fiscal Year 2012 (the most recent available) reports that 1.5 billion people visited the library in person and more than 92.6 million attended four million programs at public libraries. In addition to printed and digital materials and programs, some libraries have begun offering mental health services and resources to their vast audience.

Lyndsay Forbes, project manager and grants specialist at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, reported that MBLC provided Youth Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health First Aid training to Massachusetts library staff with CARES Act and ARPA funding. This training teaches the skills necessary to provide initial support and help connect people to appropriate resources.

“Our agency has also helped coordinate the placement of social work interns in three Massachusetts libraries,” Forbes said. “We want to use our position to connect people to mental health services.”

Michelle Eberle, consultant for the Massachusetts Library System, said, “There are overdoses in libraries and suicides in libraries. The Department of Mental Health wants to be able to extend what libraries can offer.” She pointed out that librarians typically develop a relationship with patrons but added that patrons might not ask for mental health information so having displays and bulletin boards visible can be helpful.

Shannon Lee, EdM, LCSW, vice president of Communication and Strategic Initiatives for Walker Therapeutic and Educational Programs, explained that the company has held 15 classes for 191 library staff. The virtual classes enabled people from all over the state to participate, she noted.

The sessions provided a framework for detecting changes in individuals and taught skills to approach in a non-judgmental manner, Lee reported. The librarians learn what resources are available and how to access them. “Libraries are a third safe space after home and school,” she said. “We know the prevalence of youth facing mental health issues. Opening up a conversation is intervention. We are bridging the gap between physical health and mental health.”

Dawn Alcott, LICSW, head of Youth and Family Services in Hopkinton, MA, reported that her department collaborates with the local library and offers drop-in mental health services twice a month on-site. Her staff answers questions and serves as a resource for people seeking a variety of necessary services. “We are really promoting access to care and connect [people] to outpatient providers,” she said.

Jennifer M. Doran, Ph.D, president of the Connecticut Psychological Association, pointed out that a library addresses the stigma piece. “No one feels shame walking into the library. It can be an important, quiet, private space that replicates a private office for psychotherapy,” she said.

When it comes to offering mental health services to youth, Doran sees the library as a “cozy, warm, comfortable” place, although she noted that challenges may not be completely eliminated. “It’s always easier to bring mental health care to the individual,” she said. “Anything to reduce stigma and increase access is always good.”

According to Megan Turchetti, PsyD, clinical manager for Youth & Family Services in Portsmouth, NH, a library represents a microcosm of local culture. The idea of offering resources for mental health issues “…deepens the sense of a library as a place of support.”

“A lot of libraries work hard to be more intentional in promoting access to knowledge,” Turchetti said. She pointed out that having visuals on the walls and in bathrooms that explain the signs of depression, suicide, and other mental health issues can be very helpful. “People should be able to get good quality information on mental health supports. Making resources accessible is important,” she said.