Posted by Jenny Cofell

'A Culture of Empathy'

Jensen, Karen.  (November 2015).  A culture of empathy:  We must help youth who are facing mental health challenges.  School Library Journal, 40 - 43.

Summary:  This article notes that teens suffering from mental illness often come to the library because of the calm environment and friendly staff.  On the one hand, this is a good thing, but on the other, it can leave library staff unprepared for the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous behaviours that can come along with mental illnesses. There are over 200 mental health disorders and, since mental illness often shows up in the teen years, it becomes important for those working with Teens to educate themselves on these issues so that they can advocate effectively for those teens who come into their building.

Evaluation:  This article point out the important role teen librarians have an important role in advocating for their patrons who might be struggling with a mental illness.  The library is where teens may come first to seek out information about what is happening to them. It is important to have current materials available on the topic in the collection for teens to consult. The article also lists titles of books that cover the different types of mental illnesses making it a great resource for collection development.