Monthly Archives: January 2018

The Healing Library

Posted on by meganfemery

THl wide logo

Time to share my newest passion project!!! It’s taken a while to write because we’ve been SO busy with this project, but buckle up… it’s a good’n.

The Healing Library is a series of free resources for libraries, schools, community centers, hospices, therapists, and anyone interested in the wellness of local families. These resources can be printed and assembled into lendable kits designed to assist families through their personal journey of healing during periods of trauma.

Three kits are currently available:

  • The Death of a Loved One
  • The Death of a Pet
  • Alzheimer’s and Your Family

Each kit consists of the following resource sections:

  • A Discussion Guide – with tips for discussing the difficult subject as a family
  • Activities Guide – consisting of holistic art + play therapy activities to assist in expression, communication, and healing
  • Acts of Kindness – featuring proactive activities of community support designed to empower
  • Community Helpers Guide – with national suggestions and opportunities for local customization
  • Curated Book Suggestions & Discussion Guides – providing observation and discussion prompts to utilize while sharing for each book provided
  • How to Use This Kit Guides – for both families and lending organizations

In order to ensure the best possible information and design we created a professionally diverse team consisting of Megan Emery, Experience Designer & Coordinator at Chattanooga Public Library, Bonnie Thomas, Holistic Children’s Art & Play Therapist, Kirsten Cappy, Independent Children’s Publishing Advocate and co-creator of Curious City, and David Moorhead, Children’s Librarian at the Lewiston Public Library (ME).

The kits are generously being hosted over at Curious City by co-creator Kirsten Cappy. If you’re into bringing picture books to life with thoughtful, engaging events you’ll want to check our their myriad of programming guides, classroom activities, and more (can you say amazing giveaways!?!?).

Want to know more about The Healing Library?

  • Here’s our interview with the podcast Circulating Ideas about how we created The Healing Library.
  • Here’s a webinar one the subject hosted by InfoPeople about their creation and how to begin assembling your own kits.
  • Here’s a post on how to get started creating your own kit Kirsten created after we launched the kits at the 2017 New England Library Association’s annual conference. Our colleagues had so many valuable ideas about potential kits they’d like to create for their own communities in the future.
  • Finally, don’t forget to use the hashtag #TheHealingLibrary to connect with our community and share your stories!

If you have any questions about getting started or want to chat about this project you can email me at meganfemery at gmail.com.