1. ASCEL Conference 8 November 2013
Miranda McKearney OBE
Founder Director, The Reading Agency

2. EDGE 2013 The Public Library Universal Health Offer
I am really passionate about our health work and delighted to see if flourishing. This is largely due to the time we have invested in building the evidence base for the health value of reading. There is a growing evidence to show that libraries and reading can really make a different to the health and well being of local communities. In 2010, we were commissioned to undertake research mapping the health and well being library landscape. What it revealed was a huge amount of health and well being activity delivered by libraries but what was missing was a coherent way of talking about this work and a strategic framework for bringing it all together.
This was our starting point for a piece of strategy thinking with the Society of Chief Librarians on what a public library health offer looked like if you pulled together all library health assets, programmes and services in a single framework that could support planning, advocacy and partnership development.
EDGE The Public Library Universal Health Offer

3. 1 in 3 people suffer from mental ill health in any one year
We’re really excited about Reading Well, the new national BOP scheme were working with SCL to roll out across all English library authorities. Its based on existing best practice from Wales and work that’s going on locally but develops the model to combine both the health information and creative reading aspects of the public library health offer. So as well as a core self help reading list the scheme will also signpost to other well being services provided by libraries such as Mood Boosting Books and reading groups.
It attracting enormous interest from health partners and agencies
Working with a set core partners including the Royal Colleges of Psychiatrists, GPs and Nursing, Mind, DH through their Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme, BABCP, The British Psychological Society and Mind
Aiming to roll out across England in May
I am very aware that there is a lot of developed BOP best practice here in Scotland and a developed creative bibliotherapy network. I am really keen to explore how we might join some of this up and share learning.

4. Reading, health and libraries are a winning combination providing a strong collective advocacy message that’s grabbing the headlines and engaging the interest of the public. Great to have a good news, profile raising story about libraries out there

6. Next steps Locally Use Mood Boosting Books with young people
Register young people reading groups on
Plan for World Mental Health Day: 10 October 2014.
Nationally
ASCEL, SCL and Reading Agency plan new national CYP Books on Prescription