UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — There’s a quiet corner of Pattee Library, on Penn State’s University Park campus, that provides dedicated shelves of books and resources for students to borrow, discreetly and with no checkout, for as long as they like. Borrowers are encouraged to return books, without pressure if they do not.
Safe Haven is a new initiative at Penn State University Libraries that provides students with information and free materials on sensitive topics such as mental health, gender identity, substance abuse, domestic abuse, health and more, without having to check out materials at a desk or kiosk.
The space is located in West Pattee 2, in the elevator hallway, and offers students a way to gather books and resources — all in one place — that they may otherwise be too embarrassed to ask about, said Megan Gilpin, education program specialist for library learning services and coordinator for Safe Haven.
“You can come in, browse the shelves and get information without asking questions or identifying yourself in any way,” she said. “This is absolutely a judgement free zone. We know there are critical health and lifestyle resources that, for various reasons, students are hesitant to ask for, and this is one way to help bridge that gap.”
The space is open to all during the library’s regular hours of operation. For information about Safe Haven, including questions about accessibility, contact Megan Gilpin at mcg13@psu.edu.
Supplemental student support is also available via the following LibGuides and links: