History
Could libraries be the key to better mental health support for teens?
This idea shaped the journey of Nourishing Minds. A team at the Seattle Public Library passionately pursued the idea of bringing teen mental health programs to vibrant libraries. Enriching communities through teen mental health support has always been our focus. As we launched one program, we watched the impact and immediately saw new opportunities to evolve the curriculum. From a VR program to the latest simplified, design-centric incarnation, our evolution has followed the path of our learnings from teens and libraries who interacted with our programs.
Nourishing Minds emerged from years of learning, collaboration, and a shared desire to better support teens’ mental health.
A Journey Rooted in Collaboration
Our history began with a commitment to support teens through creating resources for libraries to offer teens in their communities. This foundation has allowed us to create impactful programs that resonate with communities.
THE BEGINNING
2018
In 2018, The Seattle Public Library, in partnership with the University of Washington Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), worked to revitalize precious Special Collections materials into the 21st century. Specifically, recreating the events of the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 as a virtual reality experience. This experience allowed a viewer to take on the role of a volunteer firefighter, attempt to stop the fire, and ultimately visualize the massive destruction caused by this historic event.
More information about the team and the VR experience can be found here:
Experience The Great Seattle Fire in Virtual Reality – Behind the Scenes
CARING ABOUT TEEN MENTAL HEALTH
2020
In 2020, our team at the Seattle Public Library was awarded a 2-year Institute of Museums & Library Services (IMLS) grant to begin a virtual reality co-design journey. This journey led to the project being named by a group of Seattle youth, VRtality, a combination of VR and vitality.
Using virutal reality and co-design, libraries and teens came together to build mental-health supporting VR experiences in the midst of a global pandemic. The project served as a way to keep communities in Seattle, WA, La Grange, TX, and Washington D.C connected while also learning about ways to support their own mental health.
LEARNING FROM COMMUNITIES
2021
Over two years, library staff from places as different as urban D.C. and rural La Grange, Texas teamed up to explore new ways to help teens through co-design and community-based projects. Each of the pilot programs adapted VRtality to their local communities, undertaking pandemic-era challenges in the process. As we worked with teens and libraries from all over, we began to see that the co-design process—where teens and adults create together— was, indeed, so much more than just a learning tool. It could transform how we approach mental health.
NATION-WIDE LAUNCH OF VRTALITY
2022
In 2022, the VRtality program was expanded to reach libraries nationwide.
GRANT AWARDED FOR NOURISHING MINDS
2022
The Seattle Public Library was awarded a second IMLS grant to build on what we learned from VRtality and turn it into a framework that more libraries could use nationwide. This grant, which became known as Nourishing Minds, aims to expand library staff’s ability to create Brave Spaces that leverage Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and co-design with youth to reinforce positive teen mental health.
NM FRAMEWORK DRAFTED AND TESTED
2023
In 2023, The Seattle Public Library team led the project in partnership with the University of Washington, the Meridian Library District in Idaho, and Charles County Public Library in Maryland to draft the first iteration of the Nourishing Minds Framework. Each of the three locations implemented and tested the framework with their communities, carefully considering what worked and what did not in their programs.
PROGRAM EVOLUTION FROM COHORT INPUT
2024
In 2024, the Nourishing Minds Framework was refined based on all the feedback gathered from the 3 library systems, staff, and youth participants. This feedback led to the next iteration of the framework and accompanying materials, including the Cookbook and Card Deck.
This revised framework was then once again tested, but this time with a cohort of five new library systems: Burlington Public Library (WI), Deschutes Public Library (OR), Fort Lee Public Library (NJ), Mortan Mandan Public Library (ND), and Ohio County Public Library (KY).
NOURISHING MINDS TODAY
2025
A quick start guide that provides a high-level overview of everything the framework has to offer and how you can get started learning more
An 88-page cookbook that dives into great detail about the underlying principles, mission, tools, and clear examples of session plans to provide the best possible foundation for implementing the framework in more libraries
A set of 103 cards, known as the Nourishing Minds card deck, provides a fun and tactile way to engage in the implementation strategy of a nourishing minds program
A card placemat that helps show how the different card categories should be implemented through a tiered difficulty level system
Nourishing Minds has officially launched and is being adopted by libraries nationwide.
What the Future Holds
We hope that you see yourself and your library joining the ranks of those who are getting to know teens in the community. Together, we can continue to foster teen mental health, one session at-a-time.
