When you think of the library, books, a quiet place to study and perhaps even free access to the internet or printing services comes to mind.
But an oft-overlooked collective of services the Toronto Public Library (TPL) offers is mental health supports through numerous initiatives and programs.
“In a lonely city, the library is where everyone gets to connect with other people,” says Will Scott, CEO of the Toronto Public Library Foundation.
With prices soaring, he says libraries are one of the only public spaces left in the city that Torontonians can enjoy without having to open their wallets.
“It’s the only public space where you can go — you don’t have to buy anything. You can come, you can read, you can study, you can be with your community members, or you can be alone, around other people. There’s no pressure at a library. There’s no stigma to come to a library and take advantage of the services,” he says.
With 100 branches across Toronto, Scott says they offer pockets of peace in an otherwise frenetic city.
“Toronto is a very vibrant city, but it’s loud and this is a place to come to have some quiet time,” he says.
But there’s more to TPL’s mental health offerings apart from the inherently sanguine and social nature of a library.
Last year, TPL partnered with the Gerstein Crisis Centre to offer low-barrier social services and programs to city residents. The donor-funded service is available at the Toronto Reference Library on Yonge Street on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at the Lillian H. Smith Branch on College Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The service is free and on a drop-in basis with no advance booking required
Social service teams at the library help connect customers with several supports including:
short-term counselling
mental health supports
primary care services
connecting with housing workers
addiction resources
financial and employment supports
wellness and recovery programs
Several literacy programs also help support mental health.
“We know that literacy is tied to self-esteem and social well-being. So we offer a lot of literacy resources, particularly for young people. We know that a million children across Canada are below grade level in reading. And so we offer targeted supports to help them get their literacy skills up to grade level,” explains Scott.
The program is called ‘Leading to Reading’ and is open to children in grades one to six who can communicate in English. An adult literacy program caters to those 19 and above who speak English and offers one-on-one tutoring in basic reading, writing and math.
With gainful employment and the ability to support oneself is a vital component of mental health for most, the library also offers numerous employment supports including resume optimization with career coaches and job skill training.
“The library offers just countless programs that are all free … there’s also interview rooms. We know that if you’re living in an apartment in a small space, maybe with your grandmother doing dishes behind you, it’s hard to interview for a job, and interviews are online these days. So we offer interview rooms at a number of our branches,” says Scott.
For children with sensory processing needs, the S. Walter Stewart branch in East York offers a sensory room designed with them in mind. It is open to all children up to 12 years old and is a child-led interactive space for kids and their caregivers. Booking is required and adult supervision is mandatory.
For teens, there are Youth Hubs in several branches that offer a place to relax with mindfulness craft or colouring workshops, play video games and connect with each other in a safe environment. Librarians are also available to offer school and homework support and free, nutritious snacks are offered every day.
To further highlight all that TPL offers during Canadian Library Month, ‘I’m Library People Day’ is being celebrated on Oct. 17. Torontonians are encouraged to get involved and support their local branches by posting their library stories on social media and donating.
Learn more about the impact libraries have on the community here.
