School libraries as havens for mental health

This article is part of our month-long series “The Modern K-12 Library,” exploring how shifts in school curriculum have impacted library design. Click here to see all the entries in this series.

A quiet seating area in Clayton High School Library offers an area of refuge.

With young people experiencing record levels of depression and anxiety, faculty and administrators are more concerned than ever about finding ways to support student mental health. Many schools are looking at how to develop calming and comforting restorative spaces within their schools.

Restorative Space: a space the promotes relaxation and relief from mental fatigue or stress by providing a calming, comforting physical environment.

Because libraries are already quiet, safe, monitored spaces, they are a natural starting point for creating restorative spaces for students. The design of school libraries is following the increasing interest in mindfulness and mental health by moving towards physical environments that are softer, warmer, and more intimate. Creating an environment that feels less institutional and more like a warm, welcoming destination transforms a library from just another classroom into a restorative space.

Trauma-informed design: a design movement that uses physical environments to reduce stress and nurture feelings of well-being.

The move towards more calming, welcoming environments is influenced by trauma-informed design, a design movement that uses physical environments to reduce stress and nurture feelings of well-being. One of the most important principles of trauma-informed design is providing a space’s users with opportunity for choice.

Giving students control of their physical environment supports their mental health by giving them a sense of autonomy. Opportunities for choice can include diverse seating or workstation options, such as offering rocking chairs, moveable stools, and comfortable soft seating alongside traditional desks and chairs. Opportunity for choice can also include choices in levels of activity or noise, such as offering distinct zones for quiet focus or active socializing. Dimmable lights and other controls over lighting also create opportunities for personal customization of the physical environment.

For a deeper dive into how to transform a school library into a restorative space, download our FREE resource, The Modern K-12 Library.