Fostering Community Health and Well-Being through the Development of a Mindfulness Program and Meditation Space at the University of Miami Libraries

This paper offers a case study in the development of a mindfulness program and meditation space within the context of a university research library in the United States. In 2016, thanks to a collaboration with the University of Miami Mindfulness-in-Law Program, the University of Miami (UM) Libraries began offering weekly mindfulness sessions for the benefit of the University community and with the goal of supporting community health and well-being. Appropriate for novice meditators and led by mindfulness researchers and certified teachers, these sessions offer guided meditations and talks that cultivate awareness and compassion. Attendees also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from other participants. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020, the mindfulness sessions shifted from in-person to online. As a result, the sessions attracted an increased number of participants, and these sessions continue online to the present day.