Dear Library Friends,

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Did you know that more than 1 in 5 adults in the United States live with a mental illness?1 It’s not something people find easy to talk about, and some illnesses don’t make themselves known in ways that are easily visible. However, chances are, if you know more than 5 people, you know someone whose life has been affected by mental illness, perhaps even yourself. All of these are reasons that we need to be talking about it and increasing awareness.

Mental Health disorders affect people of all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and have impacted the lives of successful artists (Vincent Van Gogh), musicians (Cole Porter), writers (Ernest Hemingway), scientists (Charles Darwin), and political leaders (Abraham Lincoln).2 Numerous current celebrities have opened up about their personal struggles with mental illness, including Michael Phelps, Mayim Bialik, and Dwayne Johnson. They’re starting conversations and advocating for the mental health of others.

By making mental health a part of normal conversation, we remove the stigma associated with it, we reduce the fear engendered by it, we acknowledge our common humanity, and we increase the likelihood that those who need help will find it. If you “just don’t get” mental illness or are having trouble understanding what a friend or loved one is dealing with, then the best thing you can do is listen and educate yourself about the topic. Check out one of the library’s resources on mental health (hint: they’re on display right now), be open to the conversation, and really listen to what others are experiencing.

If you or someone you know is going through something related to mental illness, please know that you are not alone, that help exists3, and that things can get better. For many reasons, the last several years have been extraordinarily difficult for a lot of people. Let’s acknowledge and be aware of that, too. Please be kind to yourself and be kind to others, this month and always.

Sincerely,
Ben Kon
Instruction and Innovation Librarian
Delray Beach Public Library
561-819-6404
[email protected]

https://www.nami.org/mhstats

https://www.namikenosha.org/education/famous-people-with-mental-issues/

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

EVENTS
Instagram - @delraylibrarychildrens
Children's Department - [email protected]

Snips, Snaps, Tales and Tunes
Meets Thursday, May 11h
@ 3:30 PM Ages 3 - 5

Early learners will join Ms. Lovely for a story and a related craft to develop listening skills, print awareness and fine motor coordination among other skills.  
Online registration is required. Limit 15 students

Register for Snips, Snaps, Tales and Tunes

Story Chasers Book Club
Meets Monday, May 15th
@ 3:30 PM
1st – 3rd graders

Registered book club members join us to chat about an assigned fantasy/adventure story, to share a show-and-tell theme craft, and to play a fun pop-up quiz game! This month our book clubbers are discussing I Campaigned for Ice Cream, a true story about 9-year-old Joshua Lipshaw, an ice cream lover who campaigned to overturn an old law that prohibited ice cream trucks in his town! The Story Chasers have also taken up the challenge to use craft materials to create a 3-D version of their favorite flavor ice cream in a cone! Our program is held in person at the library. Online registration is required.

Register for Story Chasers Book Club

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