libraries have always served as safe spaces for people to access information and support but some libraries are taking that support a step further offering social workers as part of their staff as Melissa Rose Cooper reports the Monclair Public Library is now one of six around the state offering a social worker and it's having a big impact I think libraries are very special places they don't have they don't hold stigma against people they're a place that's um when it's C they're warm when it's hot just some of the qualities Mia boxer says made her want to become a social worker here at the Monclair Public Library for the past month boxer has been meeting with patrons helping them connect to various resources from financial assistance to clothing all while providing a safe space for them to talk I think a lot of times people need help with stuff and Librarians are too busy they they have their other roles so a social worker can help fill um the position of of actually helping them with more in-depth time when a librarian has to help manage the floor the Monclair Public Library is one of the latest in New Jersey staffed with an on-site licensed social worker it's an initiative assistant director s wasami says had been in the works for a few years we actually had two Social Work interns from Montclair State University the first one was with us in the middle of the pandemic so we were only partially open and we didn't really get a whole lot of traffic but then we had on the second year we had another intern and that's when things were really opening up and what we noticed is we were getting a lot more um people coming in with what appeared to be mental health challenges and it was it it was really alarming actually but when the interns left Shamy says it created a big void that's why she's happy the library was finally able to bring on a part-time social worker thanks to a grant from the partners for health Foundation people are coming in and out all the time and they're coming here they're asking for services so that we also you know put together a binder of services um but sometimes people just needed you know they really need that professional help I think a variety of different factors highlighted those needs uh one of them uh was uh you know the covid uh crisis um that that really showed um you know a real difference between people who had ACC easier access to resources and people who had much more challenging access to um government resources and other kinds of resources and so I think social workers have been able to um to demonstrate uh the need for having a central place in a community that feels accessible to everyone that everyone can trust I will tell you that it Library social work doesn't it is not effective without the library itself David Perez knows firsthand the significance of having antisocial services available at the library as the state's first full-time Library social worker he says it has always been a place to seek help and now more people are recognizing a library can offer More Than Just Books libraries are all about meeting the the information needs of people of patrons so you know with libraries comes you know a a natural um space you know for to engage with Community right and then when you add a social worker into that you know a person who has a a professional person with a social work lens um is able to um to thrive in this community centered space public space there are six libraries staff with licensed social workers across the state patrons at the Montclair Public Library can set up a one-on-one visit in advance or meet with the social worker on a first come first serve basis for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper