Bezzub Iryna, Bezzub Yurii

Supporting Mental Health is a Strategic Direction of Activities of Ukrainian Libraries during the War Time

Abstract: The article examines the areas of work of libraries in the structure of activities of state and public institutions for the protection of mental health of citizens during the Russian war against Ukraine. The actualization of the problem of mental well-being for people affected by the war led to the active inclusion of libraries in solving the problem. The activities of libraries within the framework of the All-Ukrainian mental health program How are you?, aimed at forming a system for providing psychosocial support, were highlighted. It was shown that the improvement of the skills of librarians in the field of mental health occurs due to training and course programs, as well as conferences, seminars, webinars, round tables, etc. Models of cooperation between libraries and the community are described, taking into account the basic principles of a trauma-informed approach and the creation of a comfortable psychosocial space in the library. The directions and forms of activity of libraries were studied and systematized: information and resource provision (sites, blogs, book, magazine, documentary collections and exhibitions, collections of video materials and electronic resources, etc.); the work of psychological self-help groups and the use of innovative methods in their work (library therapy, types of art therapy – puppet therapy, fairy tale therapy, hibuki therapy, nature therapy, sand therapy, etc.); cooperation of libraries with Resilience Centers within the framework of the How are you? Program; holding information events and educational campaigns on mental health and opportunities for psychological counseling and assistance. It was found that the experience of libraries in promoting mental health in Ukraine is quite successful. It was proven that a complex of information and communication services, the introduction of psychosocial assistance methods, cooperation with psychologists turn libraries into an important component of supporting mental health.

Keywords: library, mental health, The All-Ukrainian mental health program How are you?, psychosocial support, bibliotherapy, art therapy.

  Full-text PDF    https://doi.org/10.15407/np.74.090     Citation

• Bezzub Iryna (V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, Ukraine, Kyiv, [email protected]) ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3561-5991
• Bezzub Yurii (Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, Ukraine, Kyiv, [email protected]) ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8259-4978

Cite:
Bezzub Iryna (2025). Supporting Mental Health is a Strategic Direction of Activities of Ukrainian Libraries during the War Time. Academic Papers of V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine, (74) 90-117. (In Ukrainan). doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/np.74.090

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