Episode 136 – The Ashland Public Library – A Vital Resource in Ashland CountyEpisode 136 – The Ashland Public Library – A Vital Resource in Ashland County
Keeping Ashland Healthy
(Record Date: August 11, 2026)Did you know your local library can be good for your mental health? On this episode of Keeping Ashland Healthy, we’re joined by Lindsay Brandon-Smith and Holly Lilly from the Ashland Public Library to talk about the many...
17:33•19 Aug 2026
How Ashland’s Public Library Boosts Mental Health for Every Age
Episode Overview
- Regular involvement in library programmes helps reduce loneliness and builds a sense of belonging across all age groups.
- Activities for babies, toddlers, and children support early literacy while giving parents and carers a chance to connect and share experiences.
- Teen-focused sessions such as book clubs, cooking classes, and Dungeons & Dragons offer safe social spaces and build confidence.
- Adult book clubs, including a grief-focused group, provide structured, reliable spaces to talk about difficult topics using trustworthy materials.
- Library cards open access to books, media, games, toys, and shared resources, strengthening both personal growth and community engagement.
“Libraries support mental health by giving people a safe place to belong, connect with others, learn, create, explore their interests, and remain actively engaged in their community.”
What resources and support systems are available for people who want better mental health and a stronger sense of community? This conversation from Keeping Ashland Healthy shines a light on how a local library can quietly become one of the most important places in town. Host David Ross from the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County, joined by co-host Elyse Schrader, talks with Ashland Public Library’s community engagement duo, Lindsay Braden-Smith and Holly Lilly.
Together, they chat through the library’s packed autumn programme guide and how it ties directly into emotional wellbeing for all ages. You’ll hear how baby lap times, toddler STEM play, and messy Monday art sessions aren’t just cute extras; they’re chances for overwhelmed parents and carers to meet each other, swap stories, and feel less alone.
For kids, things like Playground Picassos in the park and the “Sit, Stay, and Read” sessions — where children read to therapy dogs Princess and Gracie — help ease reading anxiety and make learning feel safe and fun. Teens get plenty of love too, with pizza and books clubs, teen cuisine cooking sessions, an open art lab, and a thriving Dungeons & Dragons group that’s become a regular social anchor.
Adults aren’t left out either, with multiple book clubs, including a death and grief-focused group led by Dr Kaylee and the Ohio Bereavement Collaborative, plus craft workshops that give people a creative outlet and a reason to get out of the house.
As David sums up, “libraries support mental health by giving people a safe place to belong, connect with others, learn, create, explore their interests, and remain actively engaged in their community.” If you’ve been feeling isolated, anxious, or just stuck in a rut, this episode might nudge you to ask: what could your local library add to your recovery or wellbeing toolkit?
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