Participants of the May 2010 Mental Health Workshop presented by the CDPC Mental Health Players, learned about mental illness and how to handle different situations involving mentally ill patrons in the library through improvisational skits. Mental health professionals were also available to answer questions and address concerns. As a result of this LSTA grant sponsored workshop, attendees were asked to tell SALS what they learned and how it has affected their interactions with mentally disabled patrons who visit the library.
Here are some of their stories.
Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library
“The four of us who attended were definitely impressed with the program, so much so that we were planning to have the group come to our Staff Development Day in November to do a presentation for the entire staff. Unfortunately due to the death of the person who coordinated the Mental Health Players, their group was inactive at the time, and they could not come.
In looking for a suitable replacement for the program, one of our librarians presented a program on Autism and Libraries based on a workshop she had attended. It was excellent, and it did address another special population that we serve.
I would not say that our policies have changed, but I believe we are all more aware of what we should be doing to serve those individuals and groups with special needs/mental health issues. We do have many groups of both physically and mentally challenged people who use the Library on a regular basis. They use the public access computers and borrow materials from our collections. Some groups use our facility as a meeting place.
I believe they feel welcome and comfortable here.â€
Schuylerville Public Library
“Schuylerville has not changed its policy regarding mentally handicapped patrons since the workshop, but I’m happy to report that it has reinforced our pre-existing ones. We waive all the late fees of the patrons that we know to be affiliated with Battenkill Community Services (staff and client alike), and we agree to their request to limit the clients to 3 items at a time. We also work at an inviting environment to our handicapped friends, understanding that they may need a patient library when it comes to noise levels, emotional outbursts, or personal hygiene.
We work closely with the staff at BCS, inviting them to make full use of our library, especially for crafts, TV viewing, read-alongs, and listening to music. They’re my friends on Facebook!  We would invite more avenues for supporting them in the future.â€
Corinth Free Library
“My staff (of one) and I enjoyed that workshop. It helped to put some behaviors and incidents in a different light. We are working on being more patient and understanding with all of our patrons and trying to recognize when mental health might be an issue. We are using some of the techniques presented, such as speaking softly and being non-confrontational.â€
Crandall Public Library
“The event was unique and I found it to be honest in both subject matter and individual expressions of the actors’ perceptions. I believe that these strengths made quite an impression on me, that even with Crandall Public Library’s conscientious striving to be of utmost service to its public, this program offered insights as to the plight of patrons with mental disabilities of a varied spectrum. It helped me to be extra sensitive when dealing with public, particularly if when an unusual circumstance arises—the forum assisted in clueing me in on a different perspective, therefore I could work with the patron with a little more “outside of the box” type thinking. Since I work within the Children’s Department, we see many adults from various agencies who utilize the department, and it is a pleasure when you know you can assist patrons, from a large and varied spectrum of abilities, with their individualized requests.
Our library, overall, deals with its patrons with respect and a serving attitude. In my department, that is our everyday policy. After this workshop, I did tell my co-workers of the performances and the perspectives, giving everyone a taste of this special forum, which was unique and helpful.
Crandall Public Library offers several services to the public with special needs, including those with mental disabilities. We have an Outreach program with monthly visits to the Prospect School in Queensbury, where materials are brought and shared with their students of varied special needs (encompassing physical, emotional and mental). Additionally, there are two or three school groups of special needs students that visit Crandall’s Children’s Department on a monthly basis: their visits entail stories, arts and crafts time, and assistance with finding books to suit their needs/wants. Lastly, the Crandall’s Children’s Department offers a monthly “Sensory Storytime” and “Sensory Art time” for children ages 3-18 with special needs, like those with autism and other mental and/or emotional needs.â€
Saratoga Springs Public Library
The workshop raised awareness of the difficulties that the mentally disabled experience and gave insight into how to best identify and interact with them.
The library has just started an autism play group to bring together young autistic children and facilitate interaction between them.