Greeting Colleagues, Glenda Alvin, Tennessee State University, Dean of Libraries and Media Centers, shares the following highlight about the Tennessee State University Libraries: The Tennessee State University Libraries have a mental health awareness initiative that started with the intent to create interaction and stress relief for students during class breaks. Recognizing that they needed authentic connections within the campus community, the objective changed to welcoming incoming freshmen and returning students to a safe environment. The program began with a small file folder organizer of coloring sheets and a box of colored pencils and crayons. One year later, the initiative has expanded to all three-floor levels of the Main Library, which houses coloring stations with four-sided mobile displays and coloring kits. The libraries have created Relaxation Zones, which are open to all patrons and feature community jigsaw puzzles, quiet study spaces, a chess set, and soothing playlists to help absorb daily stress. Spaces are reserved and students frequent the tables throughout the week to take a break and mentally reset. With assistance from work-study students, the staff has created a mental wellness table on the first floor Relaxation Zone which contains jumbo coloring sheets, origami paper, feeling word lists, and even essential oils to enhance the senses. Blank cards for writing down feelings can be left in the basket anonymously. A sign with crisis and counseling line phone numbers and a dry-erase board for leaving uplifting notes for each other are included. This effort has been led by a Senior Library Assistant, Meaghanne Hooberry, who is in the Information Science graduate program at the University of Tennessee. Glenda Alvin, MSLS, MA Dean of Libraries and Media Centers Associate Professor Brown-Daniel Library-Tennessee State University 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd Nashville, TN 37209 615-963-5230 LaTasha Denard Executive Assistant at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Phone: (678) 210-5801 ext. 102 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: ldenard@hbculibraries.org<http://mailto:ldenard@hbculibraries.org/> Follow us on our social media: [cid:image001.png@01D96C8B.4375FC40] [cid:image002.png@01D96C8B.4375FC40] [cid:image003.png@01D96C8B.4375FC40] [cid:image004.png@01D96C8B.4375FC40] Sandra Phoenix Executive Director at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Office: (678) 210-5801 ext. 101 Mobile: (404) 702-5854 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Seek justice, honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. [cid:image005.gif@01D96C8C.206AED40]<https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/> [cid:image006.gif@01D96C8C.206AED40] <https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance> [cid:image007.png@01D96C8C.206AED40] <https://www.instagram.com/hbcu_library_alliance/> [cid:image008.gif@01D96C8C.206AED40] <https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/>