Presentation by Debbie Hicks (Creative Director, The Reading Agency) and Julie Spencer (Head of Library and Museums, Bolton Council ) at the CILIP 2017 Conference in Manchester #CILIPConf17 This joint presentation by The Reading Agency and Society of Chief Librarians presentation will focus on the role of public libraries in delivering better health and wellbeing outcomes for local communities through Universal Health Offer developments such as Reading Well Books on Prescription supporting self-management through quality endorsed reading and Reading Friends, the new Big Lottery funded programme using reading befriending to combat loneliness and isolation amongst vulnerable older people. It will also look at the new partnerships this work is developing and the opportunities for more joined up working across the library sector

1. #CILIPConf17
Sponsored by Media partners Organised by
Health and Wellbeing
Seminar

2. #CILIPConf17
Sponsored by Media partners Organised by
The Public Library Health Offer
Debbie Hicks, Creative Director, The Reading
Agency
Julie Spencer, Head of Library and Museum
Services, Bolton Council

3. The Public Library Health Offer
CILIP Conference
July 2017
Debbie Hicks
Creative Director, Reading Agency
Julie Spencer
Bolton Library and Museum Services, SCL

4. Need
• Stretched health services
• Rising costs both financial and
human
• Need to reduce pressure on
services
• Focus on early intervention
and empowering people to
self-manage
• Libraries part of the local
authority public health
solution

5. The Public Library Health Offer
• Trusted community space
• Assisted digital access
• Access to key communities and
vulnerable groups
• Health information and
signposting
• National reading programmes
• Social reading and recreational
activity
• Volunteering and engagement

6. Reading, Health and Libraries
• Evidence base for reading as a self-help, health and well-being
tool:
• readingagency.org.uk/readingwell/evidencebase
• https://readingagency.org.uk/resources/2277/
• Health information and learning
• Self –help book based CBT
• Mood Boosting fiction and poetry
• Social reading/reading groups
• Libraries: access and expertise

7. Reading Well Books on Prescription
• Delivered by The Reading
Agency and SCL/ASCEL
• Endorsed by leading health
organisations
• Evidence based reading helping
people to understand and
manage their health
• Referral and self referral model
• Universal library offer and public
health intervention

8. Developing Reading Well
Mapping of
need, current
provision,
policy and key
public health
priorities
Stakeholder
consultation of
mapping and
prospective
development
plans
Health experts
roundtable
Book selection
panel to curate
book list
Co-production
programme
with people
with lived
experience
Endorsement
from leading
health
partners and
libraries

9. • Adult common mental
health conditions list:
anxiety, depression, panic
and stress…
• Dementia list for people
with dementia, carers and
people with memory
problems
• Reading Well Shelf Help for
young people, targeting 13-
18 year olds
Targeted Health Conditions

10. Reading Well for long term conditions
• National launch on 3 July 2017
• Book list of 28 titles to support people with long
term conditions and their carers
• Covers the following individual conditions:
Diabetes, stroke, bowel conditions, arthritis, breathing
difficulties (including asthma and COPD) and heart
disease
• Covers common symptoms:
Fatigue, sleep problems, mental health and wellbeing
and pain
• Plus titles to support relatives and carers

11. Reading Well National Evidence
• Reach: 635,000 people
• Big hike in loans of core list
titles
• Over 5000 prescribers using
the scheme regularly
• High self referral rates
• Evidence of public benefit
• Positive feedback on the
scheme and the value of
libraries’ health role
• Building strong local health
partnerships
• Independent academic
researchHad some very positive reader feedback (GP)

12. New Developments - Reading Friends
• Four year Big Lottery
funded UK programme
• Reading befriending
model for vulnerable
older people
• Reducing loneliness and
isolation
• Delivered through social
reading activities
• Driven by social activism
and volunteering

13. Where will it happen?
• Oldham, Sheffield,
West Sussex,
Newcastle, England
• Stirling, Scotland
• Conwy, Wales
• Content development,
volunteer training
• Pilot phase in 2018
followed by roll out
• Public library providing
content and leadership

14. Developing a Children and Young Peoples
Health Offer Strand
• Health mapping work to support CYP health offer
strand
• Potential for age based library health offers for
early years, children and young people
• Key priorities
• Infant mortality, breast feeding, early nutrition,
immunisation
• Childhood obesity, long term conditions, accident
prevention, dental health
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Sexual health

15. • Reading Well health
partnerships
• Planned MOU with HEE
• New developments with
Prince’s Trust, Sporting
Memories, BBC and British
Association of Music
Therapies
• Academic research
partnerships
New Health Partnerships

16. Reading Friends Partners

17. Talk to us
julie.spencer@bolton.gov.uk
debbie.hicks@readingagency.org.uk
readingwell@readingagency.org.uk