CARSTAIRS - The Carstairs Public Library has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Minister’s Award for Municipal and Public Library Excellence.
The award is in recognition of the library’s Tough Topics Kits initiative.
The provincia award for public libraries serving a population under 10,000 highlights the library’s ongoing commitment to addressing the diverse needs of the Carstairs community, library manager Megan Ginther said in a release.
The Tough Topic Kits, designed with input from mental health professionals, educators and community partners, covers a range of topics such as mental health, grief, addiction, and other life circumstances.
“The Tough Topic Kits were created in response to a growing need in our community for accessible resources that provide information, comfort, and support on sensitive topics,” she said.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to help residents navigate these tough conversations with empathy and understanding.”
The kits came to be in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Carstairs Public Library recognized a need for increased support around mental health and wellness.
While the library had already begun expanding its collection of materials relevant to mental health, a tragedy at a local school accelerated the need for a response and demonstrated that the library alone could not tackle the problem.
Having prior experience with commercially available mental health kits for children, the library decided to develop their own kits for teens and adults with a focus on locally available resources.
The kits contain materials such as books, multimedia resources, pamphlets and referral information for further assistance.
“The initiative has met with overwhelming support and appreciation from community members, particularly those seeking help or guidance in times of need,” she said.
The Friends of the Carstairs Library Society, Mountain View Family Resource Network and library staff collaborated to make the Tough Topic Kits initiative possible, she said.
It is the second time the library has received the Minister’s Award for Municipal and Public Library Excellence, the first time being in 2018.
