Mental Health and Wellness Resources for the WP Community and Passaic County: Home

Academic libraries can support community wellness in several key ways:

1. Providing Safe, Inclusive Spaces

Academic libraries offer neutral, welcoming environments where students, faculty, and community members can relax, reflect, and engage without judgment or pressure—fostering a sense of belonging and mental well-being.

2. Promoting Mental Health Resources

Libraries can curate collections on mental health, self-care, stress management, and resilience. They often partner with campus counseling centers to promote wellness initiatives, provide resource guides, or host informational displays.

3. Hosting Wellness Programs and Events

Academic libraries increasingly host activities like meditation, mindfulness sessions, yoga, therapy dog visits, art therapy, or creative workshops, all of which contribute to stress reduction and emotional well-being, particularly during exam periods.

4. Supporting Digital and Health Literacy

By teaching health literacy, digital literacy, and information literacy skills, academic libraries empower users to access reliable health and wellness information, improving their ability to make informed choices about their well-being.

5. Creating Partnerships

Libraries collaborate with campus health services, student organizations, and local public health agencies to expand wellness initiatives and address broader community needs.

6. Supporting Staff Wellness

Many libraries focus on internal well-being as well—offering flexible workspaces, promoting staff self-care, and fostering a positive work environment, which indirectly benefits the larger academic community.

Mental Health and Reading

Reading can reduce stress Studies show that reading for as little as 6–10 minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 60% (University of Sussex, 2009), surpassing activities like listening to music or taking a walk.

Reading builds empathy and emotional intelligence

Reading fiction, especially character-driven narratives, helps readers develop empathy and understand other perspectives—contributing to better interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being (Mar et al., 2009).

Reading supports mindfulness and flow

Getting absorbed in a book encourages a state of flow, where readers lose track of time and focus entirely on the story—similar to meditation in calming the mind. Bibliotherapy is an emerging practice Bibliotherapy uses reading as a therapeutic tool in mental health care. Both self-guided reading and guided reading programs (often with counselors or librarians) can help individuals manage anxiety, depression, and grief (Brewster, 2014).

Reading enhances cognitive resilience

Regular reading strengthens neural networks involved in memory, focus, and problem-solving, helping build cognitive resilience across the lifespan.

References

Brewster, L. (2014). The public library as therapeutic landscape: A qualitative case study. Health & Place, 26, 94–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.12.015

Mar, R. A., Oatley, K., & Peterson, J. B. (2009). Exploring the link between reading fiction and empathy: Ruling out individual differences and examining outcomes. Communications, 34(4), 407–428. https://doi.org/10.1515/COMM.2009.025

University of Sussex. (2009). Reading can help reduce stress, says University of Sussex research. University of Sussex News.

Recent research underscores that academic libraries play a vital role in supporting the mental health and wellness of students, faculty, and staff by providing safe, inclusive spaces and developing intentional wellness-oriented programming (Brewster & Cox, 2023; Grimes, 2024). Academic libraries are well-positioned to serve as non-stigmatizing environments where users can engage in self-care activities and access curated mental health resources. Effective practices include the integration of wellness collections, mindfulness programming, therapy dog visits, art therapy sessions, and partnerships with campus mental health services (Grimes et al., 2023; Hall & McAlister, 2021). Additionally, libraries that embrace a “whole-university” approach by embedding mental health support into their everyday services—through instructional efforts, inclusive policies, and trauma-informed staff practices—demonstrate stronger outcomes in fostering campus well-being (Brewster & Cox, 2023).

To further advance their impact, academic libraries should prioritize ongoing staff training in mental health awareness, develop collaborative partnerships with counseling centers, and gather regular user feedback to tailor wellness initiatives to evolving needs (Grimes et al., 2024). Strategic collection development that amplifies diverse voices and promotes empathy can also contribute to emotional resilience among users. Finally, libraries should actively participate in institutional efforts to address systemic barriers to mental health care, leveraging their role as accessible, trusted hubs on campus (Grimes et al., 2023). By adopting a proactive, user-centered approach, academic libraries can help cultivate more compassionate, inclusive campus environments that promote both academic success and holistic well-being.

References

Brewster, L., & Cox, A. M. (2023). Taking a ‘whole-university’ approach to student mental health: The contribution of academic libraries. Higher Education Research & Development, 42(1), 33–47.

Grimes, N. D. (2024). Navigating mental health and wellness in communities: A review of the literature and implications for libraries, librarians, and library workers. The Reference Librarian, 65(3–4), 81–104.

Grimes, N. D., Innes, G. R., & Salvesen, L. M. (2023). How libraries support the mental health and wellness needs of communities and library workers. In Perspectives and considerations on navigating the mental healthcare system (pp. 78–109). IGI Global.

Grimes, N. D., Salvesen, L., & O'Donnell, L. (2024). Empowering minds: Libraries leading the charge in student mental health. In B. Bernhardt, L. Hinds, & L. Meyer (Eds.), 2023 Charleston Conference Proceedings (pp. 14–24). https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.14509768

Hall, K., & McAlister, S. (2021). Library services and resources in support of mental health: A survey of initiatives in public and academic libraries. Journal of Library Administration, 61(8), 936–946.

Suggestions for Books for Relaxation and Pleasure Reading

Light Fiction & Escapist Reads

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Uplifting Memoirs & Essays The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey

Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee

Mindfulness & Calm Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn

The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim

The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker Beautiful Nature Writing & Escapism Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Diverse Author Selections (for relaxation & pleasure reading)

Fiction

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Japan)

• The Book of Delights by Ross Gay (African American)

• Beach Read by Emily Henry (features diverse secondary characters)

• Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi (Korean American)

• The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (Indian American)

• Savor the Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Buddhist monk — mindfulness writings)

Memoir & Essays

• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (Korean American)

• Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions by Valeria Luiselli (Mexican author)

• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert (with global references)

Nature & Well-being

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Indigenous/Native American)

• World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Filipino-Indian American author)

Poetry Collections for Relaxation & Emotional Nourishment

• The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

• Home Body by Rupi Kaur

• Devotions by Mary Oliver

• The Essential Rumi by Jalal al-Din Rumi (Coleman Barks, trans.)

• Love Poems by Pablo Neruda

• The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

• How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope edited by James Crews

• Healing Through Words by Rupi Kaur (interactive writing & poetry prompts)

YA Diverse Reads for Teens (Relaxation, Identity, Emotional Wellness)

• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Afro-Dominican American author — novel in verse)

• I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

• You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Black queer joy!)

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Latinx LGBTQ+)

• A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger (Lipan Apache author — fantasy, climate themes)

• Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, art by Jason Griffin (Black author — poetic, visual storytelling)

• Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado (Latinx representation, body positivity)

Black Joy Reads

(Uplifting fiction, memoir, poetry — centering joy, love, friendship, creativity)

• You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (YA queer Black joy!)

• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (stories — Black womanhood, joy, complexity)

• Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans (poetry)

• How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones (memoir)

• Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (rom-com — joyful, plus-size Black heroine)

• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (YA fantasy — Black girl hero)

• The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (novel in verse — joy in identity)

• Well-Read Black Girl edited by Glory Edim (essays — joy of reading, community)

• The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert (Get a Life, Chloe Brown, Take a Hint, Dani Brown, Act Your Age, Eve Brown) — rom-coms full of Black joy

Spanish-Language Titles for Bilingual Audiences

(original Spanish or bilingual editions)

• Cuentos de buenas noches para niñas rebeldes by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo

• El amor en los tiempos del cólera by Gabriel García Márquez

• Como agua para chocolate by Laura Esquivel

• Cien sonetos de amor by Pablo Neruda

• Palabras de caramelo by Gonzalo Moure

• Esperanza renace / Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan (bilingual edition available)

• La casa en Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (dual-language editions often available)

• El Alquimista by Paulo Coelho (Portuguese original, excellent in Spanish translation)

Queer/LGBTQ+ Authors for Relaxation & Well-being

(fiction, poetry, and memoir — adult & YA blend)

• Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (trans author — sci-fi, cozy and joyful)

• In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (memoir, lyrical)

• Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (queer-inclusive poetry)

• The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (YA novel in verse, British-Jamaican-Greek gay protagonist)

• Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (nonbinary Nigerian author — YA fantasy)

• All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (memoir, Black LGBTQ+ voices)

• Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (gentle fantasy, queer romance)

• An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (bi representation, sci-fi contemporary)

Indigenous/First Nations Authors

• (fiction, memoir, nature writing, poetry — uplifting, centering Indigenous voices)

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi) — nature, healing, mindfulness

• There There by Tommy Orange (Cheyenne, Arapaho) — contemporary Native experience

• Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation — YA contemporary romance)

• A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott (Haudenosaunee) — essays

• Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq (Inuit) — poetic, experimental fiction

• #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale — anthology, poetry, art

• Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Ojibwe) — YA thriller with strong cultural roots

Latinx Joy & Comfort Reads

• (fiction, poetry, memoir — celebrating Latinx life, identity, humor, family)

• The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova — magical realism, family saga

• You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria — rom-com, Latinx joy

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — for readers who love atmospheric fiction

• With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo — YA, Afro-Latinx teen chef

• Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera — queer Puerto Rican coming of age

• We Are Owed by Ariana Brown — poetry, Black Mexican American identity

• Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras — beachy romance with Latinx family dynamics

• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas — queer Latinx fantasy, joy & love

Disability-Positive Comfort Reads

• (memoir, fiction, poetry — centering disability pride, joy, resilience)

• Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century edited by Alice Wong — essays

• Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert — rom-com, Black woman with fibromyalgia

• Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig — memoir

• Golem Girl by Riva Lehrer — memoir, art

• Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue — queer feminist fairy tales, several disabled characters

• Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp — YA anthology

• A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley — YA memoir on growing up with facial difference

• Being Heumann by Judith Heumann — memoir, activism & disability rights