ElectionWatch 2022 Case Study

Libraries NI Supporting Positive Health and Wellbeing

Promoting Positive Health and Wellbeing became a priority for Libraries NI in April 2017. The focus was to identify and develop potential services that would increase the understanding of various factors which can contribute to a person’s health and wellbeing.

Since then, local libraries have been committed to helping customers boost their health and wellbeing by providing free opportunities to stay informed with hundreds of health books, to tap into real expertise with dedicated health events, to socialise at one of our regular activities and to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of reading.

The health and wellbeing benefits of reading and of social programmes are well documented with the library network providing a welcoming, locally accessible and stigma-free environment for health promoting activities. Libraries NI’s support for health and wellbeing is aligned with the widely used ‘Five Steps to Wellbeing’ with trusted health information provided through partnerships with local health trusts and organisations and extensive collections of free health books.

These collections include ‘Read yourself Well’ and ‘Shelf Help’ as well as an extensive eMagazine service offering information on wellness, tips on good diet, fitness and much more.

In response to the Government restrictions imposed on libraries due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the health and wellbeing offer adapted a new digital approach. This included customers participating in virtual health events from the comfort of their own home whilst continuing to access health literacy through our online platforms.

A programme of informal learning called Happiness Labs was delivered via Zoom in February and March 2021. Aimed at tackling social isolation and loneliness, Happiness Labs focused on engaging with customer groups who previously met in a library setting providing members with a chance to reconnect with the library and the social friendships they had developed. These very popular sessions included a Healthy Eating cookery demonstration, Chair Yoga, Mindfulness, a positivity talk, Hatha Yoga and Tai Chi through which 996 participants took part in 120 events.

This approach was extremely successful with participants commenting – “In covid times such a programme is even more apt and helps counteract the feelings of isolation that many folk have been experiencing” and “The activities were a lifeline to support socialising, learn new things and prevent loneliness setting in.”

Health talks were also developed, sourced and delivered via Zoom. Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University, Siobhan O’Neill delivered a talk providing an insight into her role as Mental Health Champion and her mission to improve the mental health of the people of Northern Ireland.

During an ‘Anxiety as my Super Power’ event with Northern Irish television journalist Orla Chennaoui, participants gained an insight into how she not only deals with her anxiety, but also how she has turned it into a positive and channels this to help her focus and succeed.

Significant progress to develop and deliver an online library service that provides programmes and initiatives for the public has been made in the past 20 months.

This progress builds on what Libraries NI were already doing and continues to deliver services in a new and exciting way that blends in with the original and offers greater choice to the customer.

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