Libraries and the NHS

Jason Kaye, Library Assistant, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Knowledge and Library Services

(from the QuAD Library Team)

“Libraries make us all equal. They celebrate our diversity and yet include everyone.”

Libraries are free to visit and can spark your imagination. With aisles that are designed to be wandered, their shelves are stocked with stories and information that range from the fantastic to the every-day. They are quiet, safe spaces where the staff are kind and can let you be. The staff don’t brush you off, they empower you to get involved and that type of support can mean everything. A library can offer you a sense of purpose and a place to go when everywhere else seems daunting. It can bridge the gap between physical wealth and intellectual poverty as they are places of growth, where you can explore your interests and build skills that can carry you forward. Libraries are not just a place for books; they are warm, welcoming, renewing (if you can excuse the pun). There’s no pressure to be anyone other than yourself. Libraries can help drive economic growth, support clean energy goals, reduce crime, expand opportunities and strengthen the NHS. Libraries are for all of us. Step inside one, feel your breathing slow down and relax. If we don’t fully commit to using these spaces, we’re not just closing buildings — we’re closing off a sense of opportunity.

“Investing in libraries is investing in people, and that is something we can’t afford to lose.”

One such library is that found in the QuAD Centre, QAH, Portsmouth. Laptops, webcams and headphones, as well as Books, e-titles and journals, are available for loan, 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 24/7 access to Library space and PCs is guaranteed with a valid staff ID.