Mental health is not a specialist subject. As human beings, it is a topic of intimate interest to all of us. Our well being includes both physical and mental health. We routinely get an overload of information on various health subjects. But accurate information on mental health and overall well being is difficult to get. Having accurate and practical information on mental health is the best way to experience well being, rebuild our own lives, exercise our choice and build a life of self-reliance, respect and dignity.
Addressing a special need:
Knowledge about mental health is everybody’s need. But some people in our society, labeled “mentally ill” have less access to knowledge. Our library caters to their needs as well. There is a rising demand from users and from society for information and humane treatment within the mental health services. Once persons enter the psychiatric domain, not much information is forthcoming to them or their families, about their own diagnosis or about mental health in general. The limited knowledge that doctors disperse on medical treatments is of little use in people’s lives. People, especially users, want to know more about their health, mental health, effects of treatments and safe healing options.
The CAMH library is the only one in the country which, from a human rights based approach, poses a serious challenge to psychiatric practice in India and to conventional treatment methods, using the powerful tool of knowledge and evidence. Ours is a unique non-medical library, providing information that people will be able to situate and use, for their own self assertion and advocacy. While being cognizant of overall community mental health needs, we are building our library from the point of view of users of mental health services, families, NGOs and communities. Our library serves as a community resource center and is widely being used by the community, lawyers, counsellors, teachers, students, other mental health professionals, activists, development workers and trainers working in the mental health or related areas. As our main agenda is in changing the underlying values of the mental health system, the library provides the necessary and updated perspectives, information and knowledge as support and for wider dissemination. There are many points of special interest in our library such as “Alternative Mental Health”, “Nutrition and mental health”, “Law in mental health”, “Women and mental health”, etc.
Books & Documents:
We have now a collection of over 3000 books, documents and papers in areas on the following subjects:
Alternative Mental Health and Art Based Therapies
Anti-psychiatry
Capitalism, globalisation, new economic policies and the social sciences
Colonialism, history, social sciences and psychiatry
Community health, and people’s movements
Culture, medicine and psychiatry
Disability
Ethics in social sciences, medicine, health care and mental health care
Health and mental health
Human rights of persons with mental illness
Law and psychiatry
Nutrition in mental health
Philosophy of science and psychiatry
Policy studies in mental health
Psychiatry as a treatment option
Sexuality, sexual identity and orientation
Spirituality as healing, traditional healing
User / survivor history and activism
Women and mental health
World mental health movemen
Self-Help Collection: An important addition to our collection has been the materials from various self help groups, both publications as well as extensive documentation files of newspaper clippings, news about local programs, etc.
Documentation Files: We have developed documentation in Mental Health by compiling newspaper and other media clippings on various aspects of mental health, for example: 1] Child development problems 2] Parenting 3] Stress 4] Positive mental health 5] Knowledge and self help (Mind and Wisdom). Files are maintained on important training programs and materials; current developments and international discussions on mental health (such as the UN Disability Convention), and advocacy topics (such as ECT).
Research Papers: We maintain a large collection of reprints and journal articles on various topics related to social sciences, history, culture, policy, psychiatry and mental health.
Sanchit, the Archive: Through contributions from friends and well wishers, we have a very small, but precious collection of archival materials in mental health- old newsprints of ex-patients’ movement, books and documents, case papers of landmark cases, etc. We also collect and store stories from individuals and the community, on experiences with mental ill health and its overcoming, including experiences with the psychiatric / mental health system. An international collection of first person stories of mental health users was published last year. Our archive activity is called Sanchit (meaning, a collection).
Audio-visuals: We have a good collection of films, documentaries, and audio-visual resource materials, which are of use during our training programs and workshops.
Activities of the center: A key strength of our library is its reader friendliness, attracting many people, individually or in groups. The library team is efficient in helping users access the necessary information that they need. Systems of procurement, cataloguing, stocking and cleaning are well developed. The CAMH library constantly strives to upgrade itself by sourcing out new materials, networking with other libraries, review of work with a view to strengthen it, planning new activities, computerization, dissemination activities, and production of materials. We have recently introduced a Fellowship Program for students.
Abhivyakti, our newsletter: Abhivyakti, in its third year of production, is the library newsletter. It connects the community, families, groups, organisations and the general public on mental health advocacy. The newsletter is brought out in Marathi. All back issues of Abhivyakti can be downloaded freely from our website.
1) "Resourceful institution in the field of mental health. Excellent collection of books apart from useful training and services. It was an enlightening visit to our students" Study tour students from the Dept.of social work P.G.college, Osmania University, Secundarabad
2) "We have gained good knowledge about mental health, good collection of books, and a good environment”. Prakash Makashu, Bharthi Vidaypeet College (Nursing college), Pune.
3) "Quality material about not only mental health but also all social subjects - very tangible contribution" Vaishali Nawale from Beggars Home, Yerawada, Pune –
4) "Good dedicated work in a sidelined issue of mental health. Needs incorporation in curriculum"
A faculty & student who visited from the Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health, Pune.
You can contribute...
By visiting us, using our library and by becoming a member of our resource center
By sharing information about our center with families and individuals in need of information
By participating in our center’s activities
By contributing a personal story or other artifacts to Sanchit, our Archive
By sharing copies of your writings and publications in relevant areas with the center
By donating relevant books and resource materials to the center
By contributing in your professional capacity to developing projects or activities for our library or upgradation of our library
By encouraging students to apply for our Fellowship
By organizing field visits for your students or staff to our library
By making suggestions for books and reports which can be added to our library
Contact for using the Library:
Aparna Waikar (Librarian)
Contact about Sanchit, our Archive:
Puja Modi
Timings:
From 9.30 to 5.30, Monday to Saturday. The CAMH office remains closed on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays, and public holidays.
Membership
Yearly membership fee
Rs. 500/-
Book Deposit (Refundable)
Rs. 500/-
Daily reading fee
Rs. 50/-
Daily reading fee for students
Rs. 25/-
Library Team
Chandra
Aparna
Anant
Yogita
Darshana
Sandeep
Hari
Archive Team
Madhura
Puja
Chandra
Seema
Library, Documentation Service and Archive,
Center for Advocacy in Mental Health,
Kapil Villa, Plot no. 9
Survey No. 50/4, Kondhwa Khurd
Pune-411048
Tel: 020-26837644/47
Email: wamhc@dataone.in; info@camhindia.org
