Therapy dogs at the School of Social Work Library provide respite during a busy semester.
Eight students crowd around, smiling and laughing, sitting and kneeling on the floor of the Social Work Library. Their faces are relaxed, their postures unguarded and open. Their focus? Schnitzel and Tex, two Vizsla therapy dogs who are at the library for their monthly visit.
鈥淭his really gives me perspective,鈥� says Adeline Dettor, a second-year MSW student. 鈥淲hether I finish this paper today versus tomorrow is not important鈥攚hat鈥檚 important right now is to be with these dogs!鈥�
These monthly visits are thanks to Hannah Ha, head librarian. When Ha arrived on campus in 2013, there were therapy dogs at the Boston College Law Library, and she had it in the back of her mind to start something similar at the Social Work Library. For Ha, a library is more than just a place for resources; it鈥檚 also a refuge, a place for study, and a nurturing environment. 鈥淲e like to treat students as a whole here,鈥� she explains, 鈥渨e鈥檙e more than just a storehouse for books.鈥�
A year later, a 100-lb Bernese Mountain Dog named Campbell lumbered into the library, and Ha knew that the concept was a winner. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 normally see students beaming when they come into the library鈥攖hey鈥檙e usually here because something is due or a test is imminent,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut they let all of that go when they鈥檙e with the dogs.鈥�
Schnitzel and Tex, two Vizsla therapy dogs at the School of Social Work Library.
Ha notices a palpable sense of relief in the library when the dogs visit. 鈥淥ur students are in all sorts of environments鈥攈ospitals, prisons, schools鈥攁nd are involved in very emotionally taxing subject,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a giving profession, and the dogs help the students put their guard down in a way that nothing else can seem to do.鈥�
Ha鈥檚 perceptions are borne out by plentiful research. Studies have shown even just short interactions with animals, can, among other things, , increase feelings of , and . When students returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the February 2018 shooting, they were greeted by ; shortly thereafter, a Bernese Mountain Dog-Poodle mix named River joined the school as an .
After starting the program at the Social Work Library, Ha reached out to other libraries on campus about hosting additional dog visits. O鈥橬eill Library took her up on the concept, and it proved so popular that the dogs are now a regular feature at the campus鈥檚 largest and most visible library. 鈥淪tudents have grown to expect it鈥攊t鈥檚 not just a special offering, it鈥檚 part of their library experience,鈥� Ha says.
Katie Sclafani, a second-year MSW student.
Back at the Social Work Library visit, students are petting the dogs and cooing over photos of Tex and Schnitzel as puppies that Livia Givoni, their owner, who volunteers her and the dogs鈥� time, is sharing on her phone. Katie Sclafani, a second-year MSW student, pulls out her phone to show photos of her family鈥檚 dogs adorned in holiday sweaters. 鈥淎ren鈥檛 they the cutest?鈥� she asks, as Livia and the other students laugh in agreement. 鈥淢y family has lots of dogs, but I don鈥檛 have any of them here, so I just melt whenever I see one,鈥� she adds. 鈥淏eing with these dogs just makes my day.鈥� Sclafani also sees therapy dogs in action in her placement at the Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital emergency room. 鈥淲hen we ask the kids what we can bring them, they all ask for their dog,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd, when the therapy dogs come around, we see kids who haven鈥檛 smiled in what seems like weeks, and they just 鈥� beam. It鈥檚 incredible.鈥�
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how much I needed this!鈥� says Seung Ming Oh, a Boston College senior, as Schnitzel goes in for a cuddle. Another student reluctantly gets up to leave. 鈥淚 have to go to class, where I won鈥檛 have nearly as much fun as this,鈥� she says with a sigh and a final pat for Tex.
鈥淚t helps bring a small reminder of home to our students,鈥� says Ha, 鈥渁nd offers a different perspective on what the library does鈥攊t shows that we care about them, not just about checking out their books.鈥�
Tails wag, students smile, and everyone looks forward to the next visit.
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Photography by Chris Soldt.