Last week, I attended a training session for Mental Health First Aid. It is part of the mandatory training assigned to librarians. It was seven hours of discussions and role playing as we all worked together to apply ALGES to different scenarios. ALGES stands for Approach and assess, Listen, Give reassurance and information, Encourage them to reach out to supports, and lastly Self-care for the first aider (this was a new addition according to our trainers). In many ways, it was similar to First Aid training. You are there as a first responder, you are not there to counsel or diagnose.
At the MHFA training session, one librarian, whom I later learned has a background in social work, asked why our employer was making this mandatory for librarians? Are we being trained to become social workers? She was not happy. I offered that this training was becoming more common in general as my partner had taken it years ago while working as a manager in a warehouse.
“The Des Moines Public Library is in the process of creating a social worker position at its Central Library to help serve those in the community. The social worker would be able to help library patrons with finding services that can help them and even assist with filling out the paperwork needed (Wright, 2023).”
More and more libraries are hiring social workers to help meet the needs of the community. On my way to work a few days ago, I noticed there was a person sleeping out in the open on each corner of the intersection. Rising homelessness in the city is a major issue. With lack of stable housing come increasing rates of substance use and mental health challenges. If basic needs are not being met, people are coping in other ways. The MHFA training was run by two Library Safety Specialists (LSS), a role created by TPL in 2023 (Toronto Public Library, 2023) which uses a trauma informed approach to de-escalate violent or disruptive incidents (Humber, 2023). They work in high incident branches providing social services to patrons who need it. Additionally, TPL also has a partnership with the Gerstein Crisis Centre which provides Social Services Team (SST) at a few branches around the city. They also run programs to help people and their loved ones find recovery and hope. Recently the program has expanded from one, the Toronto Reference Library, to 12 branches across the city over the last few years.
Should library staff be trained in social work? Librarians are often in-charge, especially at smaller branches, are the ones dealing with persons who are agitated or in crisis. Having some training on how to approach, listen, and how to offer help makes sense. Learning what not to say, such as “calm down” or “I understand” from LSS staff is helpful (M. McCausland, personal communication, July 10, 2025). These phrases can be triggering. No, as an employed person with access to housing, do we really understand? Finally, the addition of self care to ALGES is very important. Burnout is real and we need to be able to maintain our empathy and compassion in our work as information professionals.
References
Callan, I. (2019, October 3). Mississauga’s first library-based social worker calls on Brampton to copy the idea. The Pointer. https://thepointer.com/article/2019-10-03/mississauga-s-first-library-based-social-worker-calls-on-brampton-to-copy-the-idea
Gerstein Crisis Centre. (2025, July 4). Gerstein Crisis Centre’s Toronto Public Library project expanded to the following 12 participating library branches… [Post]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DLsLeqDggZt/
Humber, T. (2023, September 27). A new chapter: How Niclas Manson is rewriting the script at the Toronto Public Library. OHS Canada. https://www.ohscanada.com/features/a-new-chapter-how-niclas-manson-is-rewriting-the-script-at-toronto-public-library/
KeyKing666. (2024, February 1). Screenshot 2024-02-01 163844 [Image]. https://scottpilgrim.fandom.com/wiki/Toronto_Public_Library
Mental Health First Aid USA. (2021, April 15). ALGEE: How MHFA helps you respond in crisis and non-crisis situations. https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2021/04/algee-how-mhfa-helps-you-respond-in-crisis-and-non-crisis-situations/
Ontario Association of Architects. (2016, February 19). Toronto Reference Library (1977). https://oaa.on.ca/whats-on/bloaag/bloaag-detail/Toronto-Reference-Library-1977
Opening Minds. (2025). Mental health first aid. https://openingminds.org/training/mhfa/
Toronto Public Library. (2023). Be part of an innovative new team at the library! We’re actively hiring to ensure our public spaces are welcoming…[Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/torontolibrary_be-part-of-an-innovative-new-team-at-the-activity-7044018629671059456-D1gj#:~:text=2y-,Be%20part%20of%20an%20innovative%20new%20team%20at%20the%20library,apply%20is%20March%2031%2C%202023.
Toronto Public Library. (2025). Social & crisis support services. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/social-crisis-support-services/
Wright, G. (2023, April 10). Des Moines Public Library adding social worker position. https://who13.com/news/metro-news/heres-what-services-the-des-moines-public-librarys-social-worker-position-will-provide/
I’d be really curious to understand exactly what your colleague was angry about with the training you did–I’m guessing she became a librarian to get away from social work, and maybe she was distressed that she was being asked to do it? Or is it more that she felt librarians don’t have the expertise that social workers do?
I really like the framing of library workers as ‘first responders’ when it comes to crises that would really call for a social worker. Urban Libraries United did a fascinating trauma study that illustrates just why some training on dealing with patrons in crises is necessary, and also highlights how important it is to have that last ‘self-care’ step available for staff. In my experience, library administrators seem more interested in sweeping things under the rug than dealing with them, so I’m glad to see your library is being so proactive!
I am not sure myself. Some people have been at the library so long that perspective gets skewed. If I get a chance to ask, I’ll try. Perhaps it is just anger about what librarians have to deal with on a daily basis? A form of burn out?
@daisychia I find this such an interesting topic, and I know it’s pretty hotly debated among librarians. Do I think library professionals should be required to perform the work of social workers? No. Do I think they should be required to take trainings to recognize the signs of trouble and understand how to de-escalate? Absolutely. And your comment about your partner taking a similar training in a warehouse is so relevant. It’s not just libraries, there are going to be individuals facing challenges in every single workplace. This kind of training should be as prevalent in the workplace as first aid.
@chandler – agreed! Society as a whole has become much more aware about the importance of mental health.