Carlisle Library is to work in partnership with Carlisle and Eden Mind to offer a health collection which promotes positive health and wellbeing through a range of information resources available at Carlisle Library.
This information will be free to take away and keep and will be available to all users of the library. The literature will cover a wide range of mental health issues and also how to cope when supporting others. The information will be located in the health and wellbeing area situated on the first floor of the library and can be accessed at any time during the library’s opening hours.
The library has a well-resourced health and wellbeing section, including collections on mental health and long term health conditions, and the new literature provided by Carlisle Library and Carlisle and Eden Mind will be a great addition to this. There are a number of benefits to having this information in the library, including the library being an easily accessible and free service in a non-medical setting, and offering a discreet environment for visitors.
Cllr Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Local Communities, said: “I am delighted that the library is working in partnership with MIND to make services and information available to as many people as possible within our community to help support positive changes to their lives. This partnership creates many opportunities to enable us to do this and my thanks go to all involved.”
A spokesperson for Carlisle and Eden Mind said: “Working alongside Carlisle Library helps make information about mental health and where to get support more accessible to a wider audience – without this partnership it would be more difficult to provide and access this information and support services.”
The two organisations have worked together previously, with Carlisle and Eden Mind delivering Mindfulness sessions within the library for library customers as well as delivering staff training.
Through this collaboration, further drop-in sessions are to be held in Carlisle Library on the first Tuesday of each month – where staff and volunteers will be available to provide advice and information on services provided by Carlisle and Eden Mind and signpost people to other services as appropriate.
Dates of forthcoming drop-in sessions to be held at Carlisle Library:
- Tuesday 4 February
- Tuesday 3 March
- Tuesday 7 April
- Tuesday 5 May
All sessions are held between 11.30am – 1.00pm