The Hyperlinked Bethany

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While reading about the health initiatives promoted by the public and state libraries of Victoria from the previous module, something that interested me was the example of creating community presence in the library to combat the loneliness epidemic and other possible health struggles. One example was to offer simple activities for people to join, whether it was a conversation club for people feeling isolated during lockdowns, or late-night activities as a way to keep people from problem gambling (Hasan, 2022). How are libraries able to connect these “simple” solutions to complex issues?

Curious about the loneliness epidemic, I looked up the Surgeon General’s advisory from 2023. It outlines the importance of social connection and how it plays a part in both the micro and macro—individuals and communities. The advisory is a public health statement to create awareness on a national level, so it provides a solid blueprint for libraries to build a strategic initiative.

One of my INFO 254 peers gave a presentation on causal correlation, and how we should take care to find the meaning in correlations if there is a natural connection. The overall correlation between libraries and wellbeing is that libraries can “equip communities with the necessary skills, information and confidence needed to manage their own health and wellbeing” (Greenwood, 2022). Such people can feel more in control of their health or situation if they can acquire answers, and that could make a difference. Just as we might follow self-care advice to “focus on things we can control, not things out of our control,” the same can apply to libraries. A library might not be a miracle-working hospital, but in its own way, it offers support to its community that can have beneficial effects in the overall long-term.

References:

• Greenwood, C. (2022). Healthy Library, Healthy Life. https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Healthy-Library-Healthy-Life.pdf
• Hasan, T.N. (2022). ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/bangla/en/article/free-nonjudgmental-and-accessible-how-your-local-library-is-a-sanctuary-of-health-and-wellness/t15blzsi9 
• Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf