Long Beach Public Library Pilots Social Work Internship Program
To better meet the needs of patrons of the Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) who may be experiencing homelessness, mental illness or have substance use challenges, LBPL is partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to explore models of integrating social work into its existing services.
With support from the Health Department’s Trauma and Resiliency-Informed Long Beach (TRI-LB) initiative, LBPL now has two Master’s in Social Work students from California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and the University of Southern California (USC) who are working as interns to connect LBPL patrons with social services including mental health care, legal support, food security benefits, and housing resources.
“Our City’s libraries are vital to connecting communities, including our most vulnerable populations, to social work services that may lead to permanent housing or critical other services,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.
Integrating social work and libraries has been successful in other large urban public library systems. The primary role of the social work interns is to build trust with all library patrons and ultimately connect them to critical resources if needed. While the interns will not be providing individual case management, their clinical social work experience provides support within a welcoming environment to these individuals who may be in need of resources.
“The Library is a place where all are welcome, and sometimes such openness invites opportunities to provide resources beyond a quiet space to read and learn,” said Glenda Williams, Director of Library Services. “Our Social Work Intern Pilot Project is the Library’s way of proactively contributing to the City’s innovative efforts to assist people who are experiencing homelessness, mental health, and addiction challenges.”
The social work interns are based at the Mark Twain Library and Billie Jean King Main Library. The pilot project is anticipated to end in May 2020. Upon completion of the pilot, project outcomes will be evaluated to determine the viability of a more comprehensive social work program at Long Beach Public Libraries.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and the innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Long Beach Public Library
Long Beach Public Library, founded in 1896, serves a diverse urban city of close to half a million people. The Long Beach Public Library system includes the Main Library and eleven neighborhood libraries and a vibrant online presence. In the summer of 2017, the Long Beach Public Library was awarded the National Medal for Library and Museum Services in recognition of successful community-collaborations, innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and literacy-focused programs to the residents of Long Beach. With an emphasis on providing free and equal access to information and support for learning for a lifetime, the Library offers books, media, databases, Internet access, Family Learning Centers, makerspaces, and a variety of events ranging from storytimes to educational and cultural programs.
For more information, visit http://www.longbeach.gov/library, “Like” the Long Beach Public Library on Facebook, and follow along on Twitter and Instagram.