South East Museum,

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• South East Museum,
• Library and Archive Council

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Museums, libraries and archives working with
mental health

• One of the role of museums, libraries and
  archives is to promote better health and
  well-being.
• Our sector actively engages with aspects of
  social inclusion.

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BibliotherapyBooks on Prescriptionand beyond
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Get into reading

• Reading a good book can improve your mental
  health, say experts

Youre providing a really valuable service here
which goes far beyond the books. Ive made two
friends since Ive started coming and, believe
me, I was badly in need of them. Reading Group
Member, Wallasey http//www.getintoreading.org
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Reading and You SchemeRAYS

• RAYS is a partnership between Kirklees and
  Calderdale Libraries and the Primary Care Trusts
  of the NHS, a project which promotes the benefits
  of reading and the use of libraries for people
  experiencing mild to moderate depression, stress,
  anxiety or social isolation.

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Reminiscence work

• Crosses domains and sectors
• Resources ? memories
• Memories ? collections
• South East examples
• Words and Wings
• Remember When

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Volunteers

• Museums, libraries and archives offer
  opportunities for voluntary work
• Many small museums in the South East are run
  entirely by volunteers, many of them retired
  people
• They are brought together by enthusiasm for
• A subject e.g. Oxford Bus Museum
• A heritage building e.g. Tom Browns School
  Museum
• History of their community e.g. Wallingford
  Museum
• Larger, local authority museums employ volunteers
  alongside paid staff
• Traditionally voluntary work was the first step
  on the ladder to the profession for museum
  curators

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Our collections for your use

• County Record Offices hold historic archives of
  local hospitals e.g. Victorian asylums
• Local studies collections in libraries may
  include books and oral histories relating to
  local institutions
• Museums, libraries and archives hold photographic
  collections - pictures of local people, events,
  places - from which copies may be taken
• Some museums loan items for reminiscence work
  and/or run sessions

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Health Information
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Museums, Libraries and Archives are community
centres
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More informationClare Lavisclarel_at_semlac.org.uk
Jocelyn Goddardjocelyng_at_semlac.org.ukMarch
2006