How charitable donations are improving staff health and wellbeing through Libby

Thanks to a £5,000 charitable grant, Northumbria Healthcare’s Library Service has been able to significantly expand its digital reading offer through the Libby app, creating more opportunities for staff to support their health and wellbeing wherever and whenever they choose to read.

Since launching in March 2025, Libby has been embraced by colleagues across the organisation, with 426 unique users accessing the service and borrowing 3,616 eBooks and audiobooks.

The funding has enabled the library team to respond directly to staff needs and preferences, ensuring the collection remains relevant, accessible and beneficial to wellbeing.

The charitable funding allowed the library service to:

• Purchase 127 new titles, including 71 audiobooks and 56 eBooks.
• Respond to 26 user requests through the app’s “Notify Me” feature, as well as wider staff feedback.
• Complete popular book series including Harry Potter, The Housemaid, The Hunger Games and Dr Alex Gregory.
• Introduce new series such as Lord of the Rings, Dune and Discworld.
• Increase the number of multi-access titles, enabling several colleagues to read the same book at the same time and supporting workplace reading groups.

The impact of these improvements is already being felt by staff, many of whom describe Libby as an important tool for relaxation, learning and wellbeing.

One colleague shared how reading eBooks before bed has become part of their routine to help them unwind and de-stress at the end of a busy day.

Another reported that they have stopped buying books altogether since discovering Libby, allowing them to continue enjoying their hobby while reducing personal costs during a time when many households are feeling financial pressures.

For some staff, the app has transformed otherwise unproductive time into something enjoyable and beneficial. One user explained: “Travel time is such a wasted part of your day, especially when stuck in traffic. Now, I complain when traffic is light because I get less time with my audiobook!”

Perhaps most importantly, colleagues have reported direct benefits to their health and wellbeing. One staff member shared that using Libby to access both fiction titles and health and wellbeing resources has had a positive impact on their overall wellbeing, demonstrating how easy access to reading materials can support both personal enjoyment and self-care.

Senior library knowledge support assistant, Lucy Henderson, said: “We’ve loved launching Libby over the last year; it’s been really rewarding to see users engaging with the content, and either begin or continue their reading and getting feedback from them.

“Libby has helped the Library Service increase its collection and has allowed us to provide access to users across the Trust.

“Reading massively boosts mental wellbeing, so its been lovely to build and promote something that users can use to positively impact their lives. Audiobooks in particular are encouraging users to unwind and relax at the end of a busy day.”

This project highlights how charitable donations can make a tangible difference to staff wellbeing.

By investing in accessible digital resources, charitable funding has helped create more opportunities for relaxation, lifelong learning, social connection and positive mental wellbeing for colleagues across Northumbria Healthcare.