Libraries have been providing services that reflect the needs of local communities since the nineteenth century in the UK (1). The public perception of what libraries offer may be gradually shifting because libraries are no longer used exclusively for accessing books but increasingly provide a wider range of public services that could positively impact the health and wellbeing of the community (2). Public libraries are also considered inclusive public spaces where individuals from a wide range of ages and backgrounds can interact, acquire knowledge and exchange ideas through a variety of services, including access to the internet, formal training events and maker spaces in a community setting (2, 3).
Demand for wellbeing services has increased dramatically in recent years and since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic (4). Wellbeing is a broad concept essential at both the micro (personal) and macro (societal) levels and is usually measured through self-reporting (5). It involves a holistic assessment of one's mental health, physical health, living conditions, social life quality, ability to achieve self-potential, and overall life satisfaction (5, 6). Improved wellbeing is associated with better health, employment, economic consequences, and social outcomes (6, 7). For example, higher levels of wellbeing are associated with physical health benefits, including disease prevention, longevity, and even improved immune system function (5).
Publicly funded libraries offer a variety of health, educational, social, and economic services that influence wellbeing (8, 9). In addition to bridging cultural gaps as social entities with epistemic value, libraries offer a means to empower users through learning(10). They provide free and easy access to information, promote digital literacy skill improvement, support employment seeking and, in these ways, can support individuals (8, 10). Through their role in improving universal access to information, libraries contribute to overall knowledge, digital, and health literacy, in turn increasing employment levels, skillsets, health promotion, and social involvement, all of which contribute to improved wellbeing (11, 12). Libraries also offer social advantages to nearly all age groups (13, 14). They provide a low-cost means for entertaining children while also improving their social and literacy skills across essential transitions in their development (13). To the elderly or underprivileged with declining relationships and social interaction, libraries extend social, emotional and moral support and encourage connecting with similar individuals to reduce isolation (14). As early interventionists, librarians provide self-help methods for mild-to-moderate mental health conditions in a nonclinical, embraceable, and stigma-free space (15). Library staff also contribute to social and health equality by providing accurate, easy-to-understand guidance on health services to vulnerable groups (15). Above all, libraries offer a sense of belonging and a level of trust to the community (16). In a recent poll, British adults ranked librarians among the top five professions that could be trusted to give reliable information, with medical professionals topping the list (17).
The resilience and relevance of libraries have been further illuminated during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. Despite stringent national lockdowns altering daily life, libraries remained a beacon for many. Between 2019 and 2020, 7.6 million avid library users borrowed books, with a reported 34% of English adults visiting a library within the past year (13). Although overall library visits have decreased, there is evidence that a large portion of the UK community still values libraries, regardless of library use (18, 19). Despite library building closures during the lockdown, library memberships increased by 32%, 2.9 million people were proactively contacted, and more than 75% of libraries hosted online events and services (20, 21).
It is clear from the available evidence that libraries are valued for their nonclinical atmosphere and community reach(22, 23). Health and wellbeing activities are increasingly becoming a core part of library services in the UK (24–26). Library services are well positioned to provide health and wellbeing needs for people of different backgrounds and can therefore be ideal for helping public healthcare institutions communicate with diverse communities (21). There is a growing literature regarding the role of libraries in health and wellbeing, rooted in earlier research, which is primarily based on case studies emphasising the most novel practices of local libraries (22, 23). While those are informative, more insight is needed to understand the public perspective of the broader range of routine and more specific library services available to the public to improve health and wellbeing, which this study aims to provide.
Study objectives
The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of libraries as community hubs. Within the context of this study, a "community hub" is defined as a central and accessible space within a community that serves as a focal point for community gatherings, resources, activities, and services, with the intent of fostering social cohesion, sharing knowledge, and promoting general well-being. The primary objective was to understand how libraries, acting as these hubs, promote public health and wellbeing among community-dwelling adults. Additionally, the study sought to assess the perceived value of libraries in current and future health promotion endeavours while identifying both barriers and facilitators for the delivery of effective wellbeing programmes.