INTERVIEW
How the University library is becoming the hub of mental health support?
The last five years has seen mounting evidence of the need for universities in the UK to increase their care for the mental health and well-being of their students. Matthew Lawson, Director, Library and Student Support at Middlesex University, talks to Rob Green about how the institution responded to mental health issues among students.
NEARLY one in three UK university students professionally diagnosed with a mental health condition accord- ing to as this year’s annual National Student Survey (
www.thestudentsurvey. com) run by the Office for Students. It also found that more than half of UK university and college students feel their mental wellbeing has not been supported enough this year (https://bit. ly/3qIew2R).
The pandemic has clearly accelerated student mental health issues, and the conse- quences are highly troubling. The effects of Covid-19 have led to more than a fifth of students surveyed now taking medication for their mental health, and nearly a quarter now requiring mental health counselling or therapy. It is also very concerning that a fifth of students have found they are more likely to depend upon alcohol or recreational drugs, due to pandemic stress. Matthew Lawson, Director, Library and Student Support at Middlesex University, says there has been a recognition in recent years of the importance of being able to support students. The pandemic has made matters worse for many students, and Matthew says: “There has definitely been an
22 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Rob Green (
rob.green@
cilip.org.uk) is Editor, Information Professional.
increase in students and staff mental health concerns over the past five years and that was before the added pressures brought by the pandemic.
“Students are facing pressures that I certainly didn’t have when I was at uni- versity. The financial and social challenges that many of our students have to deal with can interfere with their capacity to focus on their studies. Mental health support has
January-February 2022
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