In DeKalb County, 22% of children live below the poverty line. The pandemic disrupted routines and increased social isolation, which can worsen childhood anxiety and depression in underserved populations. Increasing resilience, the ability to handle life’s ups and downs, has been shown to lead to better mental health outcomes. In particular, a study has shown that shared book reading has been observed to triple children’s resilience at school, especially those who may be at higher risk due to socioeconomic conditions.

DCPL added a page to its website with resources from Strong4Life’s mental and behavioral health experts, and Strong4Life included book lists on its website that DCPL librarians and Strong4Life therapists chose for building resilience. Books selected featured characters who experienced emotions, coped with challenges and navigated difficult situations. DCPL also infused resilience in 15+ programs to create spaces for children to share and explore their feelings.

More than 200 patrons attended “brave space” storytimes, art programs, “Read to a Therapy Dog” encounters and Resilient Readers book clubs, and teens contributed to an issue of DCPL’s Teen Zine about mental health. Resilience was included in caregiver materials for the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Many patrons have been exposed to the program through library book displays. Media outlets 11Alive(NBC affiliate), Atlanta Journal Constitution, DeKalb Champion, Decaturish and others have covered the program.