People in Brighton and Hove suffering depression, anxiety or phobias can now get help from a new source – their local library.

The city council has signed up to a national scheme called Reading Well, Books on Prescription.

This means many of its libraries will have a section of self-help books for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions.

The mood-boosting books that will be on offer include Brighton and Hove Albion coach Charlie Oatway’s Tackling Life alongside Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee.

Others include Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers, The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns and How To Stop Worrying by Frank Tallis.

The scheme aims to support GPs and mental health professionals by offering titles which help people manage their own mental health and wellbeing.

Experts

Council culture committee chair- man Geoffrey Bowden said: “This isn’t meant to replace the work of health experts or counsellors but complement it.

“These are books recommended by health and counselling experts as being helpful to many people in many cases.”

“This is part of the council developing its new role in promoting public health and joining up with our library service to do that.”

Books on Prescription collections are available at Jubilee, Hove, Whitehawk, Patcham, Portslade and Saltdean libraries.

The titles can be ordered from any library and many are also avail- able to download free from citylibraries.info.

Borrowers will need to be a member of Brighton and Hove libraries to take out a book or e-book.

One in four people experience mental health problems and nationlly the NHS spends £14 billion on it.

Leaflets about the scheme will also be placed in libraries, GP surgeries and other health service points so medics can refer people to the service.