Rachel Cook, Utah Sate Library, organizes books for the new Odyssey House library.

Youth in Treatment Center Get New Library

Books that better reflect the life experiences of youth and address current issues have replaced many aging, outdated books at the Odyssey House in Salt Lake City.

The updated library will include stories featuring minority or LGBTQ characters and plots involving trauma and abuse. They will also feature more minority and female authors than the previous books that were heavily skewed towards white and male authors.

Funding for the new library came from the federal Library Services and Technology Act grants, which are administered by the Utah State Library. Staff from the State Library recently helped organize the new library.

Multiple news outlets wrote about the new library, including a Deseret News and KSL story that included this quote:

It’s honestly such a great opportunity for us to get all these new books. Our library was a little bit outdated. A lot of people weren’t as interested in it anymore. But a lot of the kids here really love to read. And so I know that a lot of people here are super excited about it.”

Jaden Herbert, a day patient who previously lived at the Odyssey House.

KTVX Channel 4 also featured the story. The video is embedded below.

Photos: Deseret News