September 18, 2026 - Springfield City Library Recognized for Supporting Teen Mental Health
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is pleased to announce that Springfield City Library’s Young Adult Health and Wellness project has been recognized as exemplary for its impact under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants to States program.
“Mental health care for our YA population is more important now than ever. We were so honored to be able to offer our teens and young adults multiple ways to learn about how important their mental health is,” said project director Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe. “We were able to provide education about ways to manage their stress and anxiety, how to explore expressing themselves, and how to find information that they need to help understand how they feel. Best of all, we were able to give them access to resources in our city and beyond for help when they needed support. I’m so grateful that we had this opportunity to serve our teens in this way.”
Springfield City Library’s Health and Wellness project gave teens across the city’s branch libraries new tools for managing stress and connecting with their own creativity. The project combined staff training with creative arts programming, mind-body connection sessions, and guest mental health speakers.
Springfield also expanded its mental health collections, built new partnerships with community organizations and added sensory and self-care kits to teen spaces at branches citywide. Staff reported that the kits were popular, and the collections continue to grow thanks to teen requests for new titles.
Several teens shared their own experiences with the project and what they meant to them. “It was amazing to express myself with my art skills,” one teen said. Another credited a Tai Chi class with helping them relax, adding, “This program absolutely opened my eyes.”
Springfield was one of 12 libraries as part of the MBLC’s federal program which provides grants that local libraries can use to address community needs ranging from early literacy, preserving local history collections, and workforce development.
About MBLC
The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
