Library Book Returned to Massachusetts Library 51 Years Late
Most of us have probably returned a library book late before, but we likely returned it within a time period of 51 years.
The Worcester Public Library shared on November 1 that the book The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley was finally returned to them. They wrote on Facebook, “Thank you to Cambridge Public Library (CPL) and the Boston resident who found this book and made sure ‘The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley’ was returned to its rightful place in our collection after 51 years.”
The Worcester Public Library noted, “This book was published in 1899 and added to WPL’s collection in July of that same year. It was borrowed in 1973, with a return date of May 22, 1973 stamped in the due date card. It was found somewhere in Boston and returned to the Cambridge Public Library, before they reached out to make sure it made its way back to our collection.”
For those wondering who this Aubrey Beardsley was, the Worcester Public Library even included those details in their post, which began by describing Beardsley as “an English illustrator and author.” They added, “His black ink drawings were influenced by Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the aesthetic movement which also included Oscar Wilde and James McNeill Whistler.”
File that one under “The More You Know,” amiright?
Massachusetts Becomes First State With a Social Prescription Program
Speaking of literature and the arts: A first-ever social prescription program launched in Massachusetts this year making it the first state in the country with one. But what exactly is a “social prescription program”?
Also known as social prescribing, NHS England describes a social prescription program as “an approach that connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing.”
This program is a partnership between Mass Cultural Council, the private organization Art Pharmacy and Mass General Brigham. As Mass Cultural Council executive director Michael Bobbitt told Boston.com, “The basic premise is that health care providers could prescribe arts activities to their patients to support their health care needs. You go to a doctor and the doctor diagnoses you and then writes your prescription that gives you and your family or you and your partner tickets to the museum, a class, or to the theater.”
As unusual as the practice might sound in the United States, a program like this is very common in other areas in the world. Art Pharmacy CEO Chris Appleton told Boston.com that social prescription programs have been around for decades and are often part of socialized national health care systems.
Arts and cultural activities have long been tied to positive effects on someone’s overall health. According to the World Health Organization, “Art can help us to emotionally navigate the journey of battling an illness or injury, to process difficult emotions in times of emergency and challenging events. The creation and enjoyment of the arts helps promote holistic wellness and can be a motivating factor in recovery.”