Lincolnshire County Council is running a new scheme which uses reading to help those suffering from conditions such as depression and anxiety.
“Reading Well: Books on Prescription” will enable GPs and other health professionals to recommend 30 self-help titles for people to borrow from the local library service.
It is a joint initiative from independent charity The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians, working with local library services.
It offers people self-help books as part of cognitive behavioural therapy prescribed by a health professional.
Lincolnshire’s library service will have a core list of 30 titles covering issues such as anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks, bulimia and sleep problems.
These will be available to borrow from local library services or online.
Lincolnshire County Council has already run a service offering books on prescription for around eight years, with 13 self-help titles for adults and 28 for children and young people.