Suffolk Libraries: enhancing well-being within its community

Abstract

Libraries are community spaces that offer social and health-related activities. Yet, evidence highlighting how libraries enhance well-being in their communities is limited. This paper examines how activities run by Suffolk Libraries enhance the well-being of users within their community. During Study 1, library users completed a questionnaire investigating library use, loneliness, social connectedness, and social assurance. Study 1 identified that as library usage increased social connectedness, social assurance also increased. During Study 2, activity group users completed a questionnaire investigating happiness, satisfaction with life, and mental well-being before and after their activity group. Study 2 found increases in satisfaction with life and mental well-being after an activity group. These findings demonstrate the positive impact that Suffolk Libraries has on users. Thus, it is concluded that Suffolk Libraries, an example of a community-based service, facilitates well-being. Future work is proposed that examines in what way community services support well-being, as well as user’s motivations to engage with these services.

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