Western State Hospital - A library newsletter story
From the desk of Kathleen Benoun
It is said that there’s an opportunity during every crisis. In 2011, the branch libraries of the Washington State Library learned that their book budgets had been severely cut. Magazine subscriptions dwindled and there was no money for new materials. At the same time, several units at the Western State Hospital were restricted from certain areas on campus that included the library building. Library attendance dwindled. Overnight I was in charge of a library with nothing new to offer and only a small percentage of walk-ins.
So I decided to compose a monthly newsletter to be sent out to all the wards and tell both patients and staff about our collection. I named it the “Dewey Digest” because I showcased something on the shelves from every dewey classification. And the plan worked. I received calls and notes requesting . The second year, I introduced monthly themes when appropriate, such as African-American History Month or “National Nutrition Month.”
Then it happened! The library received a small budget to purchase books, movies and music. At the same time, movement restrictions at the state hospital relaxed a little. In 2015, the monthly newsletter became a weekly. Each week featured a state, the state’s Civil War history, and books and films set in the state. In 2016, the newsletter featured stories about famous people who struggled with a mental illness or substance abuse challenge.
The library newsletter is a monthly again and featured original artwork and poetry by both patients and staff and brief articles about the hospital’s 130+ history in Washington State.
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It is said that there’s an opportunity during every crisis. In 2011, the branch libraries of the Washington State Library learned that their book budgets had been severely cut. Magazine subscriptions dwindled and there was no money for new materials. At the same time, several units at the Western State Hospital were restricted from certain areas on campus that included the library building. Library attendance dwindled. Overnight I was in charge of a library with nothing new to offer and only a small percentage of walk-ins.
So I decided to compose a monthly newsletter to be sent out to all the wards and tell both patients and staff about our collection. I named it the “Dewey Digest” because I showcased something on the shelves from every dewey classification. And the plan worked. I received calls and notes requesting . The second year, I introduced monthly themes when appropriate, such as African-American History Month or “National Nutrition Month.”
Then it happened! The library received a small budget to purchase books, movies and music. At the same time, movement restrictions at the state hospital relaxed a little. In 2015, the monthly newsletter became a weekly. Each week featured a state, the state’s Civil War history, and books and films set in the state. In 2016, the newsletter featured stories about famous people who struggled with a mental illness or substance abuse challenge.
The library newsletter is a monthly again and featured original artwork and poetry by both patients and staff and brief articles about the hospital’s 130+ history in Washington State.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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