As demand remains steady for products that help with well-being in public libraries, more are now going to be available.
COVID tests, menstrual and incontinence products, food security resources and now, HIV self-test kits, are provided at several branches around the province.
Community Engagement Officer for the Eastern Counties Regional Libraries (ECRL), Michelle Greencorn says, they have received a really positive response.
“Any feedback that we have received from community members has been entirely positive, they are so grateful to be able to have easy access to products without having to give any information, disclose anything about their situation but to able to do that without any stigma or any questions asked.”
Greencorn says all products are completely free of charge, no questions asked, you don’t have to speak to anyone, but staff are there in case of questions.
How it started
The change to address public well-being in libraries, kicked off during the pandemic, when COVID tests started getting distributed.
Then, Greencorn adds, 2023 is when they started to address what she called, “period poverty”, in our region and provided menstrual supplies.
After that, they included diapers and incontinence products as well as food security resources.
She says it is all paid for through one-time funding from the government.
Most popular
By and large, Greencorn says, at ECRL branches, incontinence products are most in-demand, followed by menstrual products.
These, she says, they have to re-stock every month, in the high-volume branches.
There is still a demand for COVID tests, but those tend to go in waves.
The HIV test kits were added, Greencorn says, because of a partnership with HEAL NS.
Greencorn tells us, HEAL NS, (formally the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia), lost their funding for distribution and the Nova Scotia Provincial Library reached out to branches to see if there was an interest in being a distribution centre.
“That has been a tremendously positive experience for us. We are one of four public library regions in Nova Scotia that have partnered with HEAL. So, Nova Scotians now have access to these HIV self-test kits outside of HRM for the first time.”
They are available at all ECRL branches as well as branches in Pictou, Cumberland, Antigonish and the South Shore.
