Two social work interns from Dominican University have begun offering free drop-in support at the Glen Ellyn Public Library, available to adults and high school students four days a week.
The interns, identified by the library only as Vesryn and Nastaphia, can help with emotional support, referral assistance, form completion and resource recommendations. They are available at the Adult Desk on the library's second floor, and residents can also book 45-minute appointments online.
The program is a pilot.
The Milton Township 708 Board, which funds mental health, intellectual/developmental disability and substance abuse services, approved the Municipal Library Social Worker Intern Pilot Project in June 2025, according to a library announcement posted Oct. 20.
A $15,000 grant from Milton Township funds the position, library Director Dawn Bussey told the Glen Ellyn Public Library Board of Trustees at its Dec. 15, 2025, meeting. Bussey said the goal was to pilot the role and evaluate its long-term benefit to the library.
The pilot extends beyond Glen Ellyn. Milton Township Trustee McGrath described the effort at an October 2025 township board meeting as a program placing supervised social worker interns at public libraries in both Wheaton and Glen Ellyn. The interns are graduate students in Dominican University's accredited Master of Social Work program, based in River Forest.
The social services hours at the Glen Ellyn library are:
- Monday: 12:15–5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 3–8 p.m.
- Thursday: 5–8 p.m.
- Friday: noon–5:30 p.m.
Residents can walk in at the second-floor Adult Desk or schedule an appointment through the library's website at gepl.org.
