Libraries evolving with support for the vulnerable

17 August 2026

You might visit a Logan library in search of a good book, but would you expect to find trauma-informed counselling, housing support or help navigating a personal crisis?

While libraries have long been safe and welcoming spaces for the community, Logan City Council is now also trialling an innovative program that extends support well beyond traditional library services.

Driven by Council's Manager of Client Services Shelly Lausberg, and supported by library staff, the program responds to increasing community need for free, accessible support during times of stress and personal crisis.

Council has partnered with Griffith University to provide social work students with work placements in Logan libraries. While the model is well established in the United States and other parts of the world, it remains relatively new in Australia.

Shelly says the initiative is delivering positive outcomes for both customers and staff.

‘We’ve just welcomed our third group of social work students, who will complete 500 hours over 5 months across our Logan Central, Beenleigh and Marsden libraries,’ Shelly says.

‘The students will also deliver workshops for library staff, who often find themselves supporting adults and young people in crisis, assisting older residents, and witnessing family visitations facilitated by child protection authorities or police.

‘While library staff are not trained social workers, they regularly encounter complex situations. The workshops will provide practical guidance on personal boundary setting, de-escalation techniques, managing stress after incidents, and personal safety and wellbeing.’

The impact of the program is already being felt in the City of Logan.

Recently, Griffith University social work students Phil Bennett and Tessa Leslie helped an elderly woman experiencing housing distress to secure safe accommodation.

The woman had become overwhelmed after months of navigating multiple housing support agencies and was struggling to find a safe place to live. Using a trauma-informed approach, the students assisted her with a Department of Housing application and connected her with the Forgotten Women’s Foundation, which provided crisis accommodation.

Their support helped ensure she had a safe place to stay.

Postgraduate student Phil Bennett says his firsthand experiences inspired his passion for social work. 

‘I prefer the term “un-homed” rather than “homeless” because “homeless” often brings to mind stereotypes that do not accurately reflect people’s experiences of living without a home,’ Phil says.

‘As a queer teenager, I didn’t receive support from my family and spent time living on the streets of London.

‘To me, social workers are agents of change who help people navigate solutions at an individual, community and policy level. I like working "with" people rather than "for" people.

‘I care about people's equity first and foremost and believe everyone deserves dignity, support and opportunity.’

Undergraduate student Tessa Leslie says her grandmother inspired her decision to pursue a career in social work.

‘My grandmother taught me the importance of fairness, equal rights and helping others,’ Tessa says.

‘When I became a mother, child safety became especially important to me, and so I enrolled to study social work. 

‘This placement has been an incredible opportunity. I love being a point of contact in a safe space, and the library environment is ideal for experiencing the breadth and impact of social work.’

Through partnerships like this, and by connecting people with information and support in times of vulnerability, Logan libraries are continuing to evolve as community hubs throughout the City of Logan.

PHOTO AT TOP: Logan Libraries Manager of Client Services Shelly Lausberg (centre) with social work students Tessa Leslie and Phil Bennett.