Libraries Can Be Hubs for Mental Health Supports; Approach Could Aid Care in Rural Communities
For Release
Tuesday
July 15, 2025
Libraries can be used to provide mental health information and supports, potentially improving care in traditionally underserved communities, according to a new RAND report.
Studying Libraries for Health (L4H), a pilot program that placed mental supports—including peer specialists—into 10 rural libraries in central Texas, researchers found the program gained acceptance from both library staff and library patrons.
St. David's Foundation, an Austin-based nonprofit, conceived of the initiative to bolster rural mental health supports by leveraging community libraries' existing strengths.
The three-year pilot showed that most of the participating libraries expanded their reach within communities, enabling them to serve additional populations over time and engage with other local organizations and partners more deeply—both within and beyond the library walls.
“Using a trusted community institution to provide mental health information and resources was embraced by both library users and the wider community,” said Lynsay Ayer, the report's lead author and a senior behavioral scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “This model may be a useful guide for other communities wanting to improve access to mental health support.”
St. David's Foundation developed the initiative in response to data from community health needs assessments, regional behavioral health studies, and more than 100 interviews and community conversations with rural leaders, residents, and library staff. The insights shaped not only the initiative's design, but also a request for proposals process, inviting rural libraries to lead the way in developing tailored approaches for their communities.
“This initiative demonstrates what's possible when philanthropy dares to listen, to test, and to create space for flexible solutions rooted in and shaped by community,” said Abena Asante, senior program officer at St. David's Foundation. “We're excited by the way Libraries for Health responds to real, growing need and addresses the inequities in access to care that we see across our region. And we are encouraged that this model may serve as a blueprint for other communities that seek to leverage a trusted community institution to offer mental health support.”
While the RAND study focused on program implementation and did not attempt to measure changes in community or individual mental health status, the report shows that views about Libraries for Health were positive. During focus groups held by researchers, patrons were overwhelmingly supportive of the mental health programming, describing the library as “the perfect setting,” a “safe space,” and a “great, great option.”
Over three years, the libraries—in partnership with the implementation partner Via Hope—provided training and supervising for the peer specialists. The libraries became not only information centers, but also connection points offering welcoming, stigma-free environments for learning, healing, and support.
Libraries strengthened their mental health programming with offerings such as health fairs, stress-reduction seminars, parenting classes, and caregiver courses. Referrals to clinical services also were offered.
Most libraries in the pilot wanted to sustain at least some elements of the program, but were uncertain about funding support, especially with respect to supporting peer specialist positions. Staff from most libraries reported that they could sustain most of their mental health programming with their existing staff and budget.
Along with the report evaluating Libraries for Health, RAND researchers have compiled a toolkit drawn from the effort to provide instructions and ideas to libraries that are interested in adopting mental health supports, aiming to build community capacity for mental health and well-being.
The report, “Integrating Mental Health Support into Rural Libraries: Evaluation of the Libraries for Health (L4H) Initiative,” is available at www.rand.org. Other authors of the report are Karen Christianson, Ivy Todd, Logan Dick, Amy L. Shearer, Yoselín Mayoral, Abigail Kessler, and Rajeev Ramchand.
The RAND Social and Economic Well-Being division seeks to actively improve the health, and social and economic well-being of populations and communities throughout the world.
St. David's Foundation is a community-focused and equity-driven organization supporting health and well-being in five Central Texas counties.
