A grant from Minnesota’s Southeast Library System (SELS) will allow the College’s Gould Library to expand and enhance a designated play space to support student mental health, well-being, and inclusion through play-based activities. Everyone is invited to attend a launch event over the noon hour on Thursday, May 7, in the Rookery at the Library.
Building on research highlighting the role of play in academic library settings, project coordinators Eileen Shimota and Kate Niemisto say that the project will relocate and enlarge the space and update materials to include games, puzzles, fidget tools, and art supplies that promote relaxation, cooperation, and inclusivity. Grant funds will be used to purchase new materials, while the College will provide furnishings and space. The project aims to reduce library anxiety, encourage community connection, and normalize taking restorative breaks, with impact evaluated through existing library surveys and on-site feedback tools.