FEATURE
How Public Libraries Can Use Poetry to Promote Mental Health
by Phil Shapiro
Public libraries have long served as havens of knowledge, refuge, and community engagement. In recent years, they have expanded their role to include mental health support by providing access to books, social programs, and quiet spaces. One underutilized yet powerful tool in this effort is poetry. The rhythmic, expressive nature of poetry can serve as a conduit for emotional healing, self-reflection, and communal support. Here’s how public libraries can harness poetry to promote mental well-being.
POETRY-READING CIRCLES
Reading poetry aloud in a supportive environment can be a deeply affirming experience. Libraries can organize poetry-reading circles in which participants share favorite works, explore themes of resilience, and reflect on personal interpretations. This not only fosters social connection, but also encourages mindfulness and emotional expression.
At my place of work, Takoma Park Maryland Library, the annual Favorite Poems Night draws upward of 60 people. A few years ago, one community member asked me if she could read aloud a poem in Arabic. I replied, “Sure, that would be lovely.” She dressed up for the occasion and was positively glowing after reading aloud her favorite poem. She also translated the gist of the poem into English, so all in attendance could appreciate it. On that day, in this library, poetry worked its magic.
CURATED POETRY COLLECTIONS
Librarians can curate collections of poetry that focus on themes of hope, healing, and self-care to promote mental well-being. A dedicated mental health poetry shelf or a digital collection can offer patrons easy access to uplifting and reflective poetry, providing solace in difficult times.
Poetry is an external representation of the struggles common to all living souls on the planet. Reading poems can remind us that we are not alone. Always invite community members to recommend poems or poets for curated collections. This invitation, itself, affirms a person’s value and worth as an active, engaged community member at your library.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT THROUGH POETRY
For younger audiences, libraries can introduce poetry as a means of self-expression through poetry slams, creative writing contests, and spoken word performances. Encouraging young people to use poetry to explore their emotions can foster resilience and emotional intelligence. They can be shown the ways that poetry can be full of surprises—from silly, impromptu poems all the way to solemn, classic poems. In many cases, young people who feel marginalized can find their voice in poems. They may even choose to share their poems with trusted friends or trusted adults. This sharing is a communal act that can promote mental resilience.
Young people whose poetry interest is affirmed at the library will be inclined to talk about this in their peer circles. That can open up opportunities for conversations that might otherwise not have occurred. This can include conversations about sensitive topics that deserve to see the light of day.
COMMUNITY POETRY DISPLAYS
Libraries can create interactive poetry walls or community poetry displays on which patrons can contribute lines or verses based on a theme. This fosters a sense of community, allowing people to share thoughts, experiences, and encouragement through poetry. A delightful example of this is Princeton Public Library’s “Poet-tree” project, which invited patrons of all ages to write original poems on colorful paper leaves and hang them on a tree-like structure in the library lobby. (Learn more at programminglibrarian.org/programs/community-poet-tree.) Such a simple, low-cost project gives community members a stake in what happens at the library. They may be inclined to invite their friends to see their poem(s) on display in the library lobby, thus expanding the library community.
POETRY SLAMS AND OPEN MIC NIGHTS
Yet another way for libraries to engage community members is via adult poetry slams and open mic nights. Some community members might be too shy to read their poems aloud in a public setting, so libraries ought to provide a way for them to choose a trusted library worker to read their poem on their behalf. The library worker can preface the public reading of these poems with a short comment about why they find this poem to be valuable or interesting. Consider this an alternate form of publishing, with all of the emotional affirmations that occur in that process. Also, there might be mute community members whose “voice” comes alive in this process. To my mind, the measure of a library’s success is how many community members who previously felt marginalized experience the surrounding warmth of community when they come to a library event.
JOURNAL OF POETRY THERAPY
If this topic of poetry as a healing force interests you, I suggest looking into the National Association for Poetry Therapy’s Journal of Poetry Therapy (JPT; tandfonline.com/loi/tjpt20). JPT , according to the About This Journal page, “is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal committed to the publication of original articles concerned with the use of the literary arts in therapeutic, educational, and community-building capacities. The purview of the JPT includes the use of bibliotherapy, journal therapy, creative writing, narrative, lyrics, storytelling, and metaphor in human service settings. Research (qualitative and quantitative), practice (clinical and education), theoretical, and literary studies are emphasized. The intended audience of JPT includes those in the allied helping professions and education, as well as those in literary/artistic fields with a concern toward promoting growth and healing through language, symbol, and story.”
JPT has been published quarterly since 2003, and some articles are OA (tandfonline.com/action/showOpenAccess?journalCode=tjpt20). Perusing the article abstracts is bound to open your mind to new ideas. For example, the latest articles include “The Effect of Therapeutic Poetry on Mental Relaxation: EEG Analysis,” “Poetry of the Depressed or Symphony of Hope: South Asian Poetry on COVID-19,” and “From Struggle to Strength: The Therapeutic Potential of Gratitude Journaling for Student Mental Health.” Who knows, your own public library might have an article to submit to this publication sometime. Consider that an act of affirming the affirmer.
CONCLUSION
Poetry is a unique and accessible tool for mental health support, and public libraries are well-positioned to introduce and promote its benefits. Through reading circles, curated collections, and community poetry displays, poetry slams, and open mics, libraries can harness the power of poetry to foster healing, resilience, and community connection. In an era when mental health support is more critical than ever, libraries can serve as beacons of solace and inspiration—one verse at a time.
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