Olivia Gudeahn
Libraries are loud. Children playing, pages turning, keyboards typing, and lively chatter are all vibrant sounds at the library. Libraries aren’t just a place for silent reading and shushing librarians, but a place where community grows. How do I know all this? I’ve spent the last three summers working at my hometown library as a circulation desk clerk and a programming assistant. Throughout working at my library, I’ve met many community members and gotten to know a bit about their experiences. I also have a first hand look at the resources patrons find helpful.
In 2017, “More than 172 million registered users, representing 55% of the 312 million Americans who lived within a public library service area, visited public libraries 1.32 billion times in 2017. In other words, on average, each American visited a public library over 4 times,” (Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2020). Public libraries offer many services beyond promoting literacy- they offer locations to use Wi-Fi, computer usage, printing services, programming, research assistance, and many more services.
Libraries provide a safe space for individuals, and patrons can rest assured that “Neither federal agents nor police officers are legally authorized to demand library records without first providing some form of judicial process (subpoena, search warrant, or other legally enforceable court order) to the library holding the records,” (American Library Association, 2021). This level of privacy and security provides comfort for those who decide to check out materials on sensitive topics. and knowing that their check-out history is secure provides an extra sense of safety.
Bibliotherapy
Bibliotherapy is “the act of reading a book to aid a mental illness,” (McCaffrey, 2016). While bibliotherapy doesn’t claim to be a replacement for traditional counseling, it has absolutely been shown to have benefits of its own. In controlled psychological studies, bibliotherapy has been found to aid a wide range of age groups, from young children and adolescents, to adults and parents.
Studies using bibliotherapy showed it improved aggression in young boys, reduced fear of the dark in children, benefited mild to moderately depressed adolescents, and aided parents in improving the behavior of their children (McCaffrey, 2016).
Bibliotherapy has three main tenets: identification, catharsis, and problem solving/insight (Allen et al., 2012; American Library Association, 2015). A person will see themselves in a character and go through the story together. Catharsis happens when the story concludes and tension experienced along the way dissipates. The person can connect their experiences with the character and relate to how the character’s completed arc, thus resulting in problem solving/insight. Together, these tenets create bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy commonly uses self-help books to facilitate treatment, while creative bibliotherapy utilizes fiction books in treatment (Redman et al., 2024).
The word library means “place for books,” (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2017), which is perhaps what libraries are best known for. Rows and rows of books of every genre are available to the public. How can a simple book help a patron’s mental health? Spending just 6 minutes reading a book can reduce stress levels by 68% (Roff Farrar, 2021). When bibliotherapy takes place at a library, people can reap extra benefits. A library provides a safe and calm environment, and for children, “reinforcement of related assumptions such as, adults can soothe and help and that there is goodness in the world,” (Allen et al., 2012). Reading and listening to stories can provide a calming distraction for people in crisis.
The Unhoused Population
As mentioned before, libraries are more than just places for books. During my time as a library employee, I’ve helped many patrons with their requests. A man who didn’t have a GPS and needed a map, a woman who needed to email a PDF, a man who needed access to a database, are just some patrons I’ve helped. Libraries do not discriminate against patrons for any reasons; anyone is welcome in a library. My local library has seen an increase in unhoused patrons over the years. Post-pandemic, “libraries across the US are increasingly on the frontlines of America’s homelessness crisis,” (Ryan, 2023). Among the unhoused population, 67% have a mental illness (Harris, 2024).
Some libraries are implementing Homeless Training, a program that aims to teach deescalation tactics to librarians and staff members. Ryan Dowd of Homeless Training remarks “‘libraries are everything homelessness is not’”, and, “‘It’s a public space, for communal use. If the option is that or be outside all day in 15-degree weather, I know what I’d do,’” (Ryan, 2023). Often, unhoused people will walk to the library and make use of the computers and other resources available (Ryan, 2023). Libraries are a great place for unhoused patrons to conduct research into employment and mental health care. While access to a library may not solve every problem an unhoused patron faces, it can be a great place to begin.
Literacy
After the COVID-19 pandemic, literacy rates in children decreased globally. The “disruption to education has meant millions of children have significantly missed out on the academic learning they would have acquired if they had been in the classroom, with younger and more marginalized children facing the greatest loss,” (Unicef, 2022). Consequences of low literacy rates include a “limited ability to obtain and understand essential information, low self esteem, increased rate of workplace accidents, lower quality jobs, and reduced access to lifelong learning,” (Literacy Pittsburgh, n.d.). Libraries can combat the decrease in literacy by having early-literacy programs. Many public libraries offer storytimes – an interactive and educational environment for young children – which are “now viewed as a critical component of young children’s preparation to enter school. They are also vehicles for giving parents guidance on how to encourage early literacy skills at home,” (UWA, 2020).
Libraries also provide a literacy-rich environment for patrons of all ages to utilize. Many libraries offer assistance to “English language learners (ELLs) and students in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs,” (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, n.d.). As of 2024, 14% or 32 million U.S. adults are functionally illiterate and “46% of American adults cannot understand basic financial documents like balance sheets and income statements,” (Bright Futures, 2024). Adults who are functionally illiterate have been found to have higher instances of mental health issues (Zhang, 2020). Another consequence of functional illiteracy is lower levels of health literacy. Health literacy is “the personal characteristics and social resources needed for people to access, understand and use information to make decisions about their health,” (Zhang, 2020). Libraries play an active role in educating learners of all ages and working to combat the literacy crisis. It is crucial for literacy resources to be available in as many communities as possible.
Additionally, “more than 370 million children globally missed out on school meals during school closures, losing what is for some children the only reliable source of food and daily nutrition,” (Unicef, 2022). In New York State, 60 public libraries provide lunches to children over the summer (Resources: Summer Reading at New York Libraries: Summer Meals Program, 2023). Hunger is detrimental to healthy development; it is critical for children to receive necessary nutrition. During the summer, “41% of parents struggle in some way to provide food when school is closed, and that nearly half (44%) of parents are more worried now than they were this time last year about getting their kids fed,” (Greenfield, 2024). It is evident that summer hunger is a problem in the United States. However, libraries can work with local resources and grants to provide nutrition over the summer.
Final Reflection
Libraries are no longer the home of grumpy librarians. In the modern era, libraries provide resources to all patrons regardless of societal or economic status. They provide essential resources such as access to technology, enhancing education, and provide a community for personal and professional development. Watching the library change into a modern role has been a fascinating experience. I think as the world continues to develop, the library will continue to take on a modern role as a pillar of community.
References
Allen, J. R., Allen, S. F., Latrobe, K. H., Brand, M., Pfefferbaum, B., Elledge, B., Burton, T., & Guffey, M. (2012). The power of story. The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 10(1).
American Library Association. (2015). Bibliotherapy. Ala.org. https://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/bibliotherapy#:~:text=Ideally%2C%20the%20process%20occurs%20in
American Library Association. (2021, October). Law Enforcement Inquiries - Key Concepts. Ala.org. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacy/lawenforcement/inquiries#:~:text=Check%20to%20see%20if%20your
Bright Futures. (2024, June 5). 22+ US Literacy Statistics: Literacy Rate, Average Reading Level. Www.brightfuturesny.com. https://www.brightfuturesny.com/post/us-literacy-statistics#:~:text=Top%20U.S.%20Literacy%20Rate%20Statistics
Greenfield, B. (2024, June 20). Here’s why America’s kids are going hungry over the summer. Fortune Well. https://fortune.com/well/article/americas-kids-hungry-over-summer/
Harris, E. (2024). Two-Thirds of Unhoused People Have Mental Health Disorders. JAMA, 331(21), 1795–1795. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.7725
Institute of Museum and Library Services. (2020, July 16). People Visited Public Libraries More Than a Billion Times in One Year. Www.imls.gov. https://www.imls.gov/news/people-visited-public-libraries-more-billion-times-one-year
Knapp, A., Hersch, E., Wijaya, C., Herrera, M., Kruzan, K., Carroll, A., Simmons, R., Sodhi, D. K., Hannah, N., Reddy, M., Karnik, N., Smith, J., Brown, C. H., & Mohr, D. (2023). “The library is so much more than books”: considerations for the design and implementation of teen digital mental health services in public libraries. Front. Digit. Health, 5, 1183319. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1183319
Literacy Pittsburgh. (n.d.). The Challenge | Causes of Low Literacy. Literacy Pittsburgh. https://www.literacypittsburgh.org/the-challenge/#:~:text=For%20individuals&text=Impact%20on%20health%3A%20low%20literacy
McCaffrey, K. (2016). Bibliotherapy: How Public Libraries can Support their Communities’ Mental Health. Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.5931/djim.v12i1.6452
Online Etymology Dictionary. (2017, September 28). library | Etymology, origin and meaning of library by etymonline. Www.etymonline.com. https://www.etymonline.com/word/library
Redman, H., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Bethel, A., & Green, J. (2024). The impact of school-based creative bibliotherapy interventions on child and adolescent mental health: a systematic review and realist synthesis protocol. Systematic Reviews, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-024-02482-8
Resources: Summer Reading at New York Libraries: Summer Meals Program. (2023). Libguides.com. https://nyslibrary.libguides.com/c.php?g=1284706&p=9432928
Roff Farrar, A. (2021, May 10). Novels and neurons: the very real science of bibliotherapy and the fascinating ways that reading can change our brains for the better. Www.panmacmillan.com. https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/lifestyle-wellbeing/mental-health-benefits-reading-bibliotherapy
Ryan, M. (2023, January 24). Why US libraries are on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/24/us-libraries-homeless-crisis-social-workers
Stringer, H. (2020, April 1). Libraries as mental health hubs. Https://Www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/libraries-health-hubs
Thomas, S., & Lovelace, K. (2019). Combining efforts: Libraries as mental health safe spaces Combining efforts: Libraries as mental health safe spaces. https://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1068&context=lib_faculty
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (n.d.). Assisting English Language Learners in Your Library. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/Assisting_ELLs.pdf
Unicef. (2022, January 24). COVID:19 Scale of education loss “nearly insurmountable”, warns UNICEF. Www.unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/eap/press-releases/covid19-scale-education-loss-nearly-insurmountable-warns-unicef
UWA. (2020, October 21). Library Storytime Remains Important for Student Learning | UWA. UWA Online. https://online.uwa.edu/news/library-storytime-important-student-learning/
Zhang, Q. (2020). The cost of illiteracy: A causal inference study on how illiteracy affects physical and mental health. Health Education Journal, 80(1), 54–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920949894
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