How academic librarians support student mental health

In recent years, the mental health crisis among college students has reached unprecedented levels. According to the Healthy Minds Study more than 60% of college students were coping with at least one mental health problem during the 2020-2021 school year. The impact of these challenges on the quality of education is profound, affecting academic performance, retention rates and overall student wellbeing.

The library’s role in supporting campus mental health

Amidst this crisis, academic librarians have emerged as important allies in bridging the gap between students and the mental health resources they need. From creating safe and inclusive spaces to offering stress-relief programs and resources, librarians are at the forefront of promoting student wellbeing. By integrating mental health support into their services, academic librarians help alleviate the mental health burden on students and contribute to a more supportive and effective educational environment.

“The library is uniquely positioned as a venue, both virtual and on-ground, for a response that is trustworthy, compassionate and economically sustainable,” says Neil Grimes, Education & Curriculum Materials Librarian at William Paterson University of New Jersey (WPUNJ).

Helping librarians help their students

Grimes and his colleague Linda Salvesen, Systems Librarian at WPUNJ, are making it easier for all academic libraries to expand their roles in supporting campus wellbeing. Their popular panel at the 2023 Charleston Conference (available on-demand for a global audience) and follow-up Q&A session provide practical ideas for libraries to incorporate student wellness programs into their services. Now, they’re collaborating with ProQuest^™, part of Clarivate^™, to help libraries support student mental health and wellness through their book collections.

Grimes and Salveson have curated a list of 50 ebook titles aimed at addressing mental health challenges and fostering wellbeing among undergraduates. Part of ProQuest’s initiative to share librarian expertise in collection development, the Mental Health & Wellness LibList enables academic librarians to quickly create a robust resource with titles that are accessible, affordable, DRM-free and vetted for both quality of content and suitability for diverse populations.

Salvesen describes the list as focused on topics and titles undergraduates would look for in addressing their own wellbeing, stepping beyond “mental health” and “wellness” to include areas like “the good life,” “mindfulness” and “resilience.” The result is a list of extraordinary breadth that enables any library to add valuable titles to their collection.

Supporting mental health research, learning and careers

The Mental Health & Wellness LibList is part of ProQuest’s larger initiative to help libraries support growing needs of university students and researchers in this area. For example, as enrollment in social work and psychology programs increased, ProQuest launched ProQuest One Psychology, a destination resource that combines a rich variety content in a platform that guides future mental health professionals on their research and learning journeys.

The ProQuest Mental Health & Wellbeing Ebook Subscription provides a complement to the Mental Health and Wellbeing LibList by supporting scholarship with more than 5,000 recently published titles covering key topics related to psychology research.

Harnessing and sharing librarians’ collection curation expertise

Like all ProQuest LibLists, the Mental Health & Wellness LibList is designed to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge and amplify diverse perspectives in the library community by sharing the collection development acumen of academic librarians. Created by librarians who have specialized knowledge, these lists enable their peers to confidently assemble collections that address emerging needs at universities.

Other LibLists include:

• • Animal Allies, curated by Derek Marshall, Director for Branch Libraries at Mississippi State University
  • Indigenising the Curriculum, curated by Yanti Ropeyarn, Senior Specialist, Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia
  • Inclusivity in Healthcare, curated by Maria King, Subject Librarian, School of Health and Social Care Information Services, Edinburgh Napier University, UK.

Explore any ProQuest LibList by logging into your preferred acquisitions platform and searching for LibLists under the Curated Topics sections on LibCentral, OASIS and Rialto. Request a title list.

More resources:

• • The role of libraries in supporting the next generation of mental health professionals & researchers
  • Empowering minds: libraries leading the charge in student mental health
  • Supporting student mental health: A guide for academic librarians
  • Four ways libraries can improve student outcomes with mental health support
  • Curating with Care
  • Academic libraries, student wellbeing and the power of leisure reading