Life is pretty hectic, and taking time out to relax and reset can seem impossible some days!

It can be done though, and you don't have to spend lots of time or money to make a big difference to your mental health.

We have a great selection of books in our Horsforth Library Wellbeing space and our online Collection to help you, and our staff have shared their own tips and techniques for taking time out 😊

Deano, Information Assistant

When I’ve spent a lot of time sitting and reading for my studies or work, I like to go to the gym and push myself as far as possible with either functional fitness (e.g. jumping over boxes/sledge pulls) or cardio training on the bike or treadmill. I think it’s essential for people with additional sensory needs to understand that it’s possible to be tired and have low energy due to being under-stimulated and that you can paradoxically overcome tiredness by being more active! 

Jax, Library User Services Manager

I like to unwind by doing some voluntary research with Zooniverse – a world-wide platform that allows anyone to contribute to real academic research across a range of disciplines. You could be studying images of faraway galaxies, transcribing historical records or recording animal behaviour in their natural habitats, all from the comfort of your sofa!

Adam, Information Assistant

I like to immerse myself in cricket to relax.  I love going to watch a game - any level or type of game - where you can just switch off from other things. I don’t care if it’s fast or slow particularly - just as long as it’s absorbing. I’m also quite happy watching it on TV or listening to it on the radio - it still has a similar effect!

Claudia, Information Assistant

I like to do crafts to unwind and relax. At the moment I am crocheting again. I have a stash of wool that I use to make little crochet projects like flower garlands or pillowcases. Although I am not the quickest in crocheting and my projects look all a bit wonky, I enjoy doing it and that in the end I have created something.  Easy knitting or crochet patterns can be found on youtube or Ravelry. And the library has two online crochet books with nice ideas as well.

Marion, Information Assistant

To look after my well-being and mental health I usually turn to nature and water. I go to my happy place and have a walk by the canal, it instantly restores me being near water, listening to bird song, especially this time of year walking though fallen leaves will always put a smile on my face. I read every day even if it’s only for a few minutes, but best of all, time with my cats, they keep me calm and bring me a lot of happiness.

Pauline, Information Assistant

These are the things I do to unwind/relax:

Go for a walk in the countryside (or local park)

Read a good novel

Sing as part of a community choir

Leeds Trinity University has a range of support available for students and staff experiencing mental health difficulties. Talking about it helps, so lets share and support each other! 

For students: Mental health and wellbeing - Student support and wellbeing - Leeds Trinity University

For staff: Mental Wellbeing Resources (sharepoint.com)

Ebooks, online journals and databases offer different accessibility features and can be challenging to navigate.

We've added a new guide to the Library website: Accessibility of online resources. The guide contains information about the accessibility features and functions of our five largest ebook platforms. We will be adding information for online journals and databases in the future.

We've outlined the main features of each platform and provided instructions such as how to enlarge the text, change the background colour or enable read aloud. We've also outlined the downloading and printing options and included the accessibility statement where available.

You can link to this information from the Accessibility and wellbeing guide and from the Databases A-Z by selecting the accessibility icon next to the resource title.

We would love to know what you think and how we can improve the guide - please contact us with your feedback.

Disability History Month: Disability, Health and Wellbeing

The Collection

To mark this year's Disability History Month, the Library has created a new digital Collection in collaboration with LTSU Disabled Students' Officer Caitlin Fieldhouse.

The theme this month is Disability, Health and Well Being, and the online collection has been curated to cover a range of topics affecting disabled people throughout history and in the present day, along with books written by people with disabilities. 

The collection includes ebooks and books available in the Library. We also have a physical display of titles in that can be browsed and borrowed.

You can also access many articles on the subject of disability and health using Library Search.

What is UKDHM?

Disability History Month runs from mid-November to mid-December every year and covers HIV/AIDS Day (1st December), International Day of People with Disabilities (3rd Dec.) and International Human Rights Day (10th December).

It also follows on directly from Anti-Bullying Week (19th to 18th November) which is important as 2.5 times as much bullying is recorded towards disabled young people as compared to non-disabled (70-80% of young disabled people claim to have been bullied in school and college).*

You can find out more about Disability History Month on the UK Disability History Month website.

*Source: World of Inclusion Ltd (2022) What is UKDHM? [online]. Available at: https://www.ukdhm.org/what-is-ukdhm/ [Accessed 18 November 2022]

Add to Library collections

We are always happy to receive recommendations for titles to support your study and research, or resources you think that the Library should own.

Check out our Request a resource guide for more information!