Libraries Reading Well self-help scheme
This scheme provides accredited reading to help you understand and manage your health and wellbeing using self-help books available from public libraries and the following book collections have been selected through a rigorous process by a panel of health professionals.
Common symptoms associated with many long term conditions include pain, fatigue, sleep problems and low and anxious feelings.
Reading Well offers practical support to help you live well with a long term condition. The books provide information and advice to help you understand and manage selected conditions and common symptoms. They also tell personal stories and provide practical support for family, friends and carers.
You may be recommended a title by a health professional. Look out for the books in your local library. They are free for anyone to borrow – take one home today.
What's available?
- Reading Well for teens - a list of books to support the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers, providing helpful information, advice and support to help them better understand their feelings, handle difficult experiences and boost confidence. All the titles have been chosen by young people, health professionals and librarians
- Reading Well Books on prescription for common mental health conditions - The scheme provides self-help reading for adults based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for a range of common mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, phobias and some eating disorders
- Reading Well Books on prescription dementia - These books are aimed at people living with dementia, people caring for someone living with dementia, or those who want to find out more about the condition
- Reading Well for children - Reading Well for children provides quality-assured information, stories and advice to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. Books have been chosen and recommended by leading health professionals and co-produced with children and families. The booklist is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11), but includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support less confident readers, and to encourage children to read together with their siblings and carers
All of the above collections are available in libraries in Shropshire on ‘prescription’ which means they have been recommended by GPs or other health professionals. They are also available for anyone else to read which means that some people may be borrowing a book without having been prescribed it.
You can view the full list of books on prescription on the Reading Well website.
How can books help?
Some of the recommended books provide helpful information and self-management techniques. There are also personal stories about other people’s experiences which may help you to understand your own. You can use the books on your own or with the support of a health professional. The health professionals involved in your treatment can also advise you on other help and support available.
How are the books chosen?
The books have all been recommended by health experts and people living with long term conditions. They have been selected using guidelines and quality standards from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) with advice from a range of professional organisations and support from the Coalition for Collaborative Care.
About the scheme
Reading Well has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians. The programme is funded by Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust.