Reading Well Books on Prescription
Reading Well Books on Prescription help you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using self-help reading. It is endorsed by health professionals and supported by Northamptonshire libraries.
Books can be recommended by GPs or other health professionals from the relevant Reading Well Books on the Prescription reading list and can be borrowed for free from your local library. If the title is not available in your local library you can request it from another Northamptonshire Library for free.
Books available under this scheme
There are 5 sets of books available:
- books covering common mental health conditions - including anxiety, depression, phobias and some eating disorders
- books for dementia - these are divided into 4 categories: information and advice, living well with dementia, support for relatives and carers and personal stories
- books for children - these titles support the mental health and wellbeing of children aged 7-11 years old, providing children and their families and carers with information, advice and support for coping with feelings and worries, daily life and getting through a tough time
- books for young people - these titles provide 13 to 18-year-olds with support and advice on common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress
- books for families – these titles support parents and carers to look after their wellbeing in pregnancy and the early years (from conception to aged two). The books provide information on wellbeing, mental health and coping with loss
Prescribing a book for your patients
Reading Well books can support patients:
- whilst waiting for appointments or treatments
- alongside the delivery of existing services
- as part of post diagnosis information and advice
- as part of a social prescribing conversation, whereby:
- you can signpost people to a specific title or list
- books can be used before, during or following treatment
- books are available for free from the public library. Libraries also offer other health and wellbeing services and activities
Getting a book which has been prescribed
To borrow a prescribed book, visit your local library with the user leaflet that your health professional gave you and borrow the recommended book.
If you’re not a library member, ask a member of staff to join you to the library. This is free and you don’t need any identification documents.
If the book you need is not available in your local library you can request it to be delivered from another library for free. Just speak to a member of staff to arrange this.
Your book may also be available as an eBook. You will need to be a library member to borrow an eBook. To browse the collection, and download a title, visit our eBooks webpage.
Last updated 10 June 2025