Little free library use may improve rural mental health access

Mental‑health disorders and suicide rates have risen steadily over the past 20 years, with rural areas seeing the sharpest increases. To broaden access to mental‑health resources for adults, physicians placed a little free library containing 10–15 books on anxiety, depression, post‑traumatic stress disorder, and related conditions near the entrance of a rural primary care clinic in Minnesota. A flyer with a QR code directs visitors to a community‑run webpage with additional resources. Patients who take a book are asked to complete a short survey capturing demographics, referral source, and the usefulness of the materials. The authors are still studying the intervention’s utility and impact. This low cost, patient-centered, community-informed innovation can be adopted by other primary care and community settings. 

Using a Little Free Library to Improve Access to Mental Health and Wellness Resources at a Primary Care Clinic

Marijo Botten, DO, and Erin Westfall, DO

Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency, Mankato, Minnesota 

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