Session 1: Casey Johnson
When the Library is Loud: How the Kansas City Public Library Became Stewards of Harm Reduction
How did libraries across America find themselves on the front lines of the war on drugs and the unhoused?
Learn the history, foundations and principles of Harm Reduction in an effort to build a framework of practice focused on how to engage people who utilize drugs relevant to your work inside the beloved public institution, the library.
Session 2: Keren Dali
In the last 25 years, bibliotherapy has become widespread in North American libraries. Simply put, bibliotherapy is the practice of using books and reading to help individuals cope with physical and mental health conditions or with stressful life transitions, both negative and positive. Yet, like any other therapy, it has limitations and side effects, accentuating the dangers of reading that have caused longstanding concerns. Library staff, many of whom are avid readers, are well aware of the potential benefits of engagement with stories but often underestimate the detrimental effect of reading on individuals in vulnerable life situations. Putting too much trust in the power of reading, librarians may overstep their professional boundaries and cause unintended harm to those whom they try to help. This talk will shift the focus from the process of reading to the process of therapeutic engagements around stories, including peer-to-peer interactions or communication with medical and mental health professionals and library staff. It will highlight the power of human connection and explore how library staff can practice bibliotherapy both ethically and effectively, using examples related to substance use, among others.
Session 3: Kaite Stover
Reading with Feeling: Using Library Collections and Reading Groups to Foster Connection
Bring what you learn in Keren Dali’s session to this one. We will explore using library collections to create passive and active programming to support library users in recovery from substance abuse. We will consider the audience for these programs, how readers’ advisory meshes with bibliotherapy-based programs and conversations, the differences between bibliotherapeutic reading group and traditional book club discussions.
Session 4: Beth Hill and Mirna Herrera
A Lifeline in the City: The Role of Kansas City Public Library in Addressing Mental Health and Homelessness (powerpoint)
The number of adults reporting anxiety and/or depressive disorders continues to rise, alongside an alarming increase in drug overdose deaths in Missouri (Kaiser Family Foundation). Simultaneously, the Kansas City metropolitan area has the highest chronically homeless population in the United States (Department of Housing and Urban Development).
In many urban areas, including Kansas City, the only open-to-all shelter is the public library. At the Kansas City Public Library (KCPL), the Community Resource Team (social workers) engages with 600 to 800 patrons experiencing homelessness each month.
To address this growing need, Mirna Herrera and Beth Hill, Community Resources Manager at the Kansas City Public Library, will discuss how the library supports individuals facing homelessness, mental health challenges, and addiction. They will also share how the library’s collaboration with University Health Behavioral Health led to the creation of the KCPL Peer Navigation Program.
Session 5: Brooke Doyle
Libraries designing for connection and community: powerpoint
Social isolation doesn’t just affect individuals—it weakens the foundation of healthy communities. The Surgeon General’s report outlines a framework with six key ways to improve social connection, including strengthening social infrastructure and creating a culture of connection. Libraries are already leading in many of these areas by fostering environments where relationships can grow. Doyle’s talk will highlight the work of Priya Parker, Shamichael Hallman, Susie Wise, and john powell among others to help us think about the role of connection in reducing substance abuse. Combining theoretical frameworks and practical strategies, Doyle will highlight ways libraries can be, and are being, intention in their design and programming, creating transformative spaces that foster trust, connection, and resilience.