Little free library use may improve rural mental health access

Using a little free library to improve access to mental health and wellness resources at a primary care clinic

2025-05-27

(Press-News.org) Mental‑health disorders and suicide rates have risen steadily over the past 20 years, with rural areas seeing the sharpest increases. To broaden access to mental‑health resources for adults, physicians placed a little free library containing 10–15 books on anxiety, depression, post‑traumatic stress disorder, and related conditions near the entrance of a rural primary care clinic in Minnesota. A flyer with a QR code directs visitors to a community‑run webpage with additional resources. Patients who take a book are asked to complete a short survey capturing demographics, referral source, and the usefulness of the materials. The authors are still studying the intervention’s utility and impact. This low cost, patient-centered, community-informed innovation can be adopted by other primary care and community settings.

Using a Little Free Library to Improve Access to Mental Health and Wellness Resources at a Primary Care Clinic

Marijo Botten, DO, and Erin Westfall, DO

Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency, Mankato, Minnesota

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