“One day, when I returned from work, Ms. Glenda and Mr. Martin from ADS Pro-Familia were at my house, I heard what the volunteering was about, regarding the education of the men in the community, how to teach, how to stop machismo, to be less violent, how to give the talks and visit the clients; they also talked about the contraceptive methods, medicines and many things that would change people's lives, the proposal seemed important to me and I accepted since I like to work for my people”, recalls José. Since 2008, male participation in sexual and reproductive healthcare in rural communities has been an integral component of the Community-Based Program (PBC), addressing issues of masculinity, behavior, and access to healthcare. "When I gave the talks on masculinity, they questioned me: 'Why can't you scream at home, if you're the man?' Or 'Who you think you are to say those things?', questions that I also asked myself once", says José. “Thanks to the training I have had and the support of the Pro-Familia staff, I have managed to learn and clarify my doubts. During the process I have had a personal change, I no longer respond if someone seeks me to fight and now, I don’t carry my knife everywhere as I used to, I take care of my own health, I share the responsibilities at home, I take care of my two-year-old son; before volunteering, I thought it was a woman’s job, I didn't do that”, reflects José. Educational activities on sexual and reproductive healthcare remain a challenge. Yet, health promoters can help break down some barriers through counseling for couples and the provision of contractive supplies - especially condoms - and medicines. “I like the communication I have with the Pro-Familia staff and the training reinforcements, they should keep it that way, because it's the way to learn and do things better in the community,” he says. “The change begins with oneself and then transmits it to others. I gather men in talks, make visits to their homes, give guidance on prevention of sexually transmitted infections, family planning and not to be violent”, says José. "Older adult men are more difficult to change." Changing attitudes to contraception  José has seen a change in the attitudes of men in his local community and those small achievements encourage him to keep going. “When men ask me about violence and condom use, I feel encouraged. For example, a co-worker uses a condom and confidently tells me that he does it because he learned from the talks he received, that motivates me to continue guiding towards new masculinities." For male clients who are referred by their local health promoter for a voluntary surgical contraception (VSC) procedure, the care is free of charge thanks to the Community-Based Program’s special fund. José is aware that there is still work to be done; "the issue of vasectomy is difficult with men in the community, the challenges continue." “In the community, young people ‘get to live together at an early age (marital union), maybe I cannot change that, but I can help them to be better people, to respect each other. Just as I changed, so can other men,” says José.  

“I am a volunteer promoter by inheritance. First, my mother volunteered with Pro-Familia for 15 years, she resigned because she had to go to the United States. I learned to volunteer since I was little because I saw how my mother did it”, Alicia recalls. Alicia Hernández Monge, 43, remembers that with her mother leaving the country, the community spent some years without a volunteer health promoter. In those years, women came to her to encourage her to re-establish contact with Pro-Familia so the program would resume in the Santo Domingo village, one and a half hours outside of San Salvador.  In the absence of a local public health facility, Alicia decided to become a volunteer health promoter to support her community. “When my mother left, I agreed to collaborate just to promote the cervical screening clinic, but Pro-Familia suggested that I be a volunteer, like my mother, and I accepted. Today, it’s been two years. They have trained me at home on sexual and reproductive health issues, counseling, home visits, and the use of brochures, and I also learned to inject, with all that I do a better job in my community, especially with women”, says Alicia. Alicia is an entrepreneur with a strong spirit of care towards her family and community. Every day she attends her small business that provides the community with basic products.  “I help change people's lives; the women are happy and grateful because they no longer go to Guazapa to buy contraceptive methods. Pro-Familia trains me and I coordinate with other institutions in the community, such as the church, to help people”, she says.  Alicia says that counseling is the most important part of her work. “Counselling is very important, women learn to use (contraceptive) methods and stop thinking that it is a sin, I help them to understand that family planning is a right. (…) I had a case of a client where the husband was the one who decided which method to use and make her changed very often (contraceptive method) because he wanted her to lose weight; one day I explained to him about the benefits of using only one family planning method, the effects of changing very often on her menstruation and that she had the right to decide whether or not to change, and that the weight could be due to other reasons. He understood and thanked me for taking the time to speak to him; from that day on the client keeps one family planning method and the husband respects her decision,” she says. Alicia dreams of having a larger place for her clients, or have a table to administer the injectable, but despite the limited space, she enjoys her work. "I like it and I am happy to know that I can help, many users come at night to pick up their methods because they work out of the house and I take care of them with great pleasure, when they miss their appointment, I look after them, I speak to them by phone or I send them a WhatsApp message", she ends. They prefer her for the confidence she brings Ruth Séfora Manzano has known Alicia for several years before she had children. “I like Alicia because she is a respectful person, she likes to help people, she gives me confidence, and you can trust your personal things to her because she doesn't tell anyone, she looked after me when I got pregnant and she also cares about my daughter, she guides me on how taking care of myself and the baby, she is a kind person, that's why I plan with her, and if I need other medicines I also buy them from her. I also like it because it is close to my house, she gives me the shots, and I don't have to go elsewhere, I am grateful for her help and Pro-Familia´s."

“I remember that I joined Pro-Familia on July 1, 2011, I had many fears and questions at that time, because I did not know about sexual and reproductive health issues, and had no experience working with contraceptive methods, it was something completely new for me, but I really wanted to learn,” says Elga, 34. Elga is one of the Community Health Workers (CHW) in the ADS - Profamilia Community-Based Program team. She remembers when she first started her training, she felt that her role was small and unimportant; but over time she learned and gained in confidence, understanding the positive impact she was having in the local communities. “I found the reason to live, I found a purpose: knowing people’s situations, their difficult situations, that is special for me. Feeling they miss me when they spend days without seeing me because I am in different communities, that is something important, it means they value my work,” she comments excitedly. Elga believes that she has gained a lot personally. “I have learned a lot about women's rights; I apply everything about sexual and reproductive health in my personal life, I do not allow abuse by my partner and I teach my son to respect people. I learned to use contraception for my own benefit,” she says. Communication was very difficult for Elga, she considered herself shy and was very quiet. Today she talks with people, in front of large groups of students in schools, expresses her ideas, and provides counseling. “I enjoy what I do, I prepare to visit the volunteer promoters, to train them and resolve any doubts or questions that arise, they are very intelligent, and I intend to have the best volunteers. I enjoy visiting families in the community, having the opportunity to give family planning counseling, work on the prevention of cervical and breast cancer, work with young people, help them to change their lives, to find new paths, free from violence, just as I found my purpose,” she says. She admires the work of Pro-Familia, as no other organization has permanent programs and subsidized healthcare, which is of enormous benefit to the local community. Elga has seen many clients since she started volunteering. She recalls encouraging a woman to come to the cervical screening clinic: “The lady had never had a cervical screening. I gave her counseling and a referral so that she could come to the ADS / Pro-Familia clinic. Her result was cervical dysplasia – level 1, I followed her until she received the treatment; now, every time she sees me, she thanks me for guiding her and inviting her to the clinic,” she says with joy. She also remembers the first time she suggested a vasectomy to a client. “First, I made the reference to the woman client, but because of health reasons she could not be sterilized, and she was very sad because using hormonal methods also affected her health; I decided to give counseling to the client's partner, who agreed to a vasectomy. The intervention was successful, and he is well, grateful to me and to Pro-Familia”, she recalls. The issues of sexual and reproductive health and contraceptive care are still taboo in many communities. Changing attitudes in order to improve the lives of individuals and families remain a vital focus. Counseling is key to recognizing that health and contraceptive care are fundamental rights, and to eliminate myths and beliefs that prohibit the use of contraception. Volunteers like Elga remain integral to this process in order to bring about change for the future. 

“I decided to become a volunteer at Pro-Familia when I heard a talk the staff was giving at the Acajutla City Hall, where they explained what they were doing in the communities with the program, and they invited us to be part of the volunteer service. I liked what I could do with the men in the community. It’s been two and a half years”. Juan Martinez Leons’ role as a promoter of the Community-Based Program of ADS – ProFamilia in El Salvador includes contraceptive care and information, as well as counseling to couples and individuals. He refers clients to public health facilities or Pro-Familia clinics for hormonal contraceptive care.  "I like to work for my community, despite the difficulties, and I help in four more communities for them to have the (contraceptives) methods and medicines," says Juan. “I give talks on the soccer field in front of my house, or I have meetings at my house, my children help me invite men to come and they also learn and admire the work. If I am gone in the future, they will continue with this service”. “When I talk with the men of my community, people's lives change” “I like providing family planning counseling because sometimes men don't like women using anything to prevent pregnancy. When I talk with the men of my community, people's lives change and you see the difference: you no longer see the domination over women, they let women plan, and (the woman) does no longer request the method secretly, although there are still some women who hide from their husbands, that's why we have to continue working on counseling, that awakens them,” Juan says. Home visits and talks with local men cover the importance of their own sexual and reproductive healthcare, including the prevention of STIs and HIV, and especially women and children's health. “In some talks, some men have come out angry and questioned me. Who am I to tell those things?” Juan’s quick response is ‘someone who has learned and who respects people's rights.’ “Now men come to ask for condoms, and even my wife confidently gives the condoms to them, she also supports me”, he says. Some men thank Juan for having “awakened their minds” and encouraging them to change, to respect women and to help at home. “I think I help my community a lot. You wake them up. I like what I do, I like to help. Before there was no promoter and they had women submerged. Little by little that is changing, but only by talking to men is it achieved. I want to continue learning about sexual and reproductive health issues, it never ends. I would like to continue training as we used to before the pandemic, and for Pro-Familia to come more often. Until God tells me, I feel that it is my obligation to attend to men or whoever seeks me to help them, that's what I'm for”.  

Manuela was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated homicide after suffering an emergency that resulted in pregnancy loss. She died imprisoned 2 years later, after receiving inadequate medical care. Manuela fue condenada a 30 años de prisión por homicidio agravado tras sufrir una emergencia que le hizo perder el embarazo. Murió encarcelada 2 años después, tras recibir una atención médica inadecuada. 

“I started as a Pro-Family Health Promoter (PSP, in Spanish) 30 years ago. I received a visit from Pro-Familia staff on several occasions, I was very interested in what I could do to help in my community as a volunteer. I was trained in sexual and reproductive health issues, and in the technique of injecting (contraceptives)”, says Juana Margoth. Through the community-based Pro-Family Health Promoter program, the Salvadoran Demographic Association (ADS / Pro-Familia) has been providing sexual and reproductive healthcare to local communities since 1974. Today, the program currently has around 900 health promoters across El Salvador. Reaching under-served communities with contraceptive care and information lies at the heart of the program’s mission. In the absence of healthcare from the Ministry of Health in Hacienda El Edén, Sonsonate, Juana provides care to four villages in the surrounding area. “I make visits in the communities to the clients I already have, to see if they are okay with the (contraceptive) method and to receive new clients, sometimes even the same clients tell me that there is someone who needs a visit. I like that they look to me to help them. I give confidence to the clients, to their partners too, I have clients since 2, 5 or 6 years ago. (…) There is a lot of need, so I am here, until God wants it”, she says. Juana receives a quarterly supply of contraceptives that she distributes at low prices to the women in her community. “I like that women know that I am here to help them, also to give advice and understand each people's problem; (to help them) to plan their family, and I like the fact that they want to do it with me,” she says. Providing counseling to clients on contraceptive methods so that they understand the different types and can make an informed choice is a crucial part of her role. “In other places - she says - they only give the contraceptive methods to women and do not explain (it’s use)”. In addition to the community-based program, Pro-Familia supports the network of promoters to help respond to emergencies. When natural disasters occur, Pro-Familia conducts a survey of needs and responds with support for reconstruction and food supplies. “I have a lot to thank Pro-Familia for, I have learned and continue to learn with them, they are always there when I need to know something when I run out of contraceptives and without medications (for the program); I am also grateful because I have my prefabricated house thanks to Pro-Familia who helped me when the earthquake of 2001 happened”, she says. I feel confident with her Yaneth Aguilar knew Juana Margoth and felt confident in choosing the injectable as her preferred contraceptive method. “With my husband, we agreed to put myself in control with her, she is kind, and she pays attention. If she were not here, I would surely have two more children. I feel confident with her. I don't like going to the health unit, because I have to spend the whole day, and sometimes they don't treat me well." Veronica Moran also received contraceptive care and information from Juana. “Margoth has changed our life, mine and my family’s, I have been planning with her for 8 years, she is kind and always has the method I use. When I have doubts, I ask her with confidence, without shame, and I can go to her house at any time, she is always there. I don't like going to the health unit, because I spend a lot (of money), and sometimes they don't have contraceptives; nowadays, with the pandemic, we have her close and she never stopped treating me, it is very helpful in our community." Brenda Martinez has been a client of Juana’s for two years. “She is the person that we know has (contraceptive) methods in the community, where Pap tests to prevent cancer are done, where we buy medicines, where you can always ask. When I was born, she was already a promoter; I couldn't be in another place planning, she is a very good person, kind, and she is always helping us in whatever way.”

When Blanca started as a volunteer, she committed to her new role with enthusiasm, thinking about how the women of La Loma village would benefit from being able to access contraceptive methods close to home. “Many women walk up to an hour and a half from the villages of the Guazapa hill, to receive family planning services or to receive counseling,” Blanca Edith Mendoza Ramos, 61, says proudly. Her house is a cozy and special place for the clients. “I have been a Pro-Familia volunteer for 29 years, when I started, I had already had my five children, I was busy at home, but when the Pro-Familia staff explained to me about working in my community, I trusted It was important to support women. I have learned a lot and I continue to do so, I have received training that helps me to be a better person, to have knowledge and to give good advice; I have received many people from Pro-Familia in these years, and always with great responsibility”, she says. To ensure her clients’ confidentiality, Blanca has created a private room with a sofa where she provides counseling and administers injectable contraceptive methods. By creating a private space, Blanca has built up trust in the community and women prefer to go to her for contraception and advice. “I am proud to help in my community, I visit clients to see if they have any side effects when they do not come to receive their method, or to know if they are well or to recruit new clients who are encouraged to use a family planning method because their families are already very large”, comments Blanqui, as she is known in her community. The public health facility provides free healthcare, however, women from other local communities prefer to see Blanca because she is closer and offers confidential personalized care. “The Health Unit is not close, so women prefer to plan with me, they come with confidence to apply their method. On their first visit, I ask them a few questions about their health, and if everything is okay, they plan with me. I think that family planning is important for the spacing of the children and that it is not only the use of methods but also communication with the couple”, reflects Blanca. The poverty and patriarchy in these communities present many challenges, including domestic violence, multiple partners, and miscarriage that require a sensitive approach to provision of healthcare and information. Volunteers like Blanca are supported to deal with these challenges through training provided by the Community-Based Program staff. Volunteers develop skills to use referral systems, coordinate with local institutions, such as the Ministry of Public Health, other NGOs, such as the Feminist Women's Collective, the Institute for Research, Training, and Development of Women (IMU), which provide support for cases of violence or care in cases of miscarriage. This approach is integral to the provision of healthcare and support in the communities. The team of volunteers helps to reduce violence and femicides in order to improve the quality of life for women and families. “People in the community tell me that they are grateful for the care I give them, and I will continue to change what I can to improve people's lives. I will continue to make home visits, give counseling because it is a need, women need someone that understands them and helps them. Pro-Familia is part of my life, being a volunteer is something special, I have learned a lot, and the most important thing is that I can help others”, says Blanca. Respect and comfort Blanca is often recommended by her clients. María Ofelia, or Felita, as she likes to be called, comments that “a friend from the community recommended that I visit the Blanqui, I already had two children, one 4-years-old and another 11-year-old. I still remember with deep sadness the moment I looked for her, it was my last pregnancy, and I lost my daughter. Blanqui received me with affection, respect, and comfort, she understood what I was going through, she guided me, and I made the decision to plan until now. I’ve been using the two-month injection for 4 years." María Ofelia says that although she can go to the social security check-up, she prefers to go to Blanca because of the confidence she gives her, “she always takes care of me, and the prices are low, I can pay it, because in other places the methods (contraceptives) are more expensive.”

There is an age-old stigma that surrounds sexual and reproductive health and rights in Jamaica. But for youth officer Fiona Francis, her work in the area is making an impact, one person at a time. I will leave here better than I came Francis, 28, joined the Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA) in 2017 as a volunteer at the Lenworth Jacobs Clinic. This was made possible through a one-year internship with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund. “I was placed to be a youth officer, which I never had any knowledge of. Upon getting the role I knew there would be challenges. I was not happy. I wanted a place in the food and beverage industry. I thought to myself, ‘what am I doing here? This has nothing to do with my qualifications’. It was ‘baby mother’ business at the clinic, and I can’t manage the drama,” Francis said. But Francis’ perception of JFPA quickly changed when she was introduced to its Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) and began recruiting members from her own community to join. “I quickly learnt new skills such as social media marketing, logistics skills and administrative skills. In fact, the only thing I can’t do is administer the vaccines. They have provided me with a lot of training here. Right now, I have a Provider Initiative Training and Counselling certificate. I am an HIV tester and counsellor. I volunteer at health fairs and special functions. I will leave here better than I came,” Francis said. Despite the location of the Lenworth Jacobs Clinic being in a challenging area, Francis is adamant her work is to be done, and believes the youth are the vanguards for change. Men feel entitled to their bodies “It’s a volatile area so some clients you have to take a deep breath to deal with them as humans. I am no stranger to the ghetto. I grew up there. The young people will come, and they’ll talk openly about sex. They’ll mention multiple partners. You have to tell them choose two [barrier and hormonal contraception] to be safe, you encourage them to protect themselves,” she said. Many young girls in the community are at risk of sexual grooming, underaged pregnancy, self-harm, and depression. “Sometimes men may lurk after them. There is sexual grooming where men feel entitled to their bodies. A lot are just having sex. They don’t know the consequences or the sickness and potential diseases that can come as a result of unprotected sex.  Many don’t know there are options- like contraceptives. Some don’t know the dangers of multiple sex partners. The challenges are their lifestyle, poverty level, environment, and sex are often transactional to deal with economic struggles,” Francis explained. However, she said YAM has provided a safe space for many young people to learn about, and discuss issues like consent, sexual health and rights, and sexuality to make informed choices But there is a need for more youth volunteers and learned adults to carry the mandate of the JFPA forward. “We need more young people and we definitely need an adult group. Teens can carry the message, but you’re likely to hear parents say, ‘I’ve been through it already’ and not listen. They also need the education YAMs have access to, so they can deal with their children, grandchildren, and educate them about sexual and reproductive health rights. For my first community intervention, a lot of kids came out and had questions to ask. Questions that needed answers. I had to get my colleagues to come and answer,” Francis said. “There’s a lot going through these teenagers’ minds. Through YAM I have developed relationships and become their confidante, so they can call me for anything. The movement is impacting. It helped me with my life and now I can pass it down. YAM can go a long way with the right persons. Whatever we do we do it with fun and education – edutainment,” she said.

‘Are you interested in advocacy and reproductive health and rights?’ These were the words which caught Mario Boothe’s attention and prompted him to sign up to be part of the Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA) Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) five years ago. At the time, Boothe was 22 and fresh out of college, searching for opportunities to gain experience. It’s so much more than sex and condoms “I was on Facebook looking at different things young people can do, and it popped up. I had just left college with an Associate Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. I was unemployed and I just wanted to be active, give myself the opportunity to learn and find something I can give my time to and gain from it,” Boothe said. Being no stranger to volunteerism and having a desire to do advocacy, Boothe decided to sign up for YAM to get a new experience and broaden his knowledge base. “It’s so much more than sex and condoms. It’s really human rights and integrated in everything we do. Reproductive health affects the population, it affects your income, your family planning, how people have access to rights. It cuts across men, women, LGBT people and encompasses everything. My love for working with YAM and being an advocate for sexual and reproductive health rights deepened and I could expand further in my outreach,” he said. Now, Boothe has no regrets with his decision as he has gained a second family and a safe space, he can call home. Additionally, YAM has equipped him with skills and given him opportunities he would otherwise not have. “I have done public speaking which has opened lots of doors for me. I have traveled and met with other Caribbean people about issues [around SRHR]. There’s an appreciation for diversity as you deal with lots of people when you go out into communities, so you learn to break down walls and you learn how to communicate with different people,” Boothe said. With YAM, Boothe has delivered projects, presentations with schools and churches, and training sessions in condom use and addressing other sexual health issues. Reluctance to talk about sex But, the greatest challenge to his advocacy is people’s reluctance to talk about sex. “Once they hear sex it’s kind of a behind the door situation with everybody, but they are interested in getting condoms,” he said. “When it comes to that it is breaking taboo in people’s minds and it might not be something people readily accept at the time. LGBT rights, access to condoms and access to reproductive health for young people at a certain age — many people don’t appreciate those things in Jamaica.” Other challenges regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights, Boothe said, include access and misinformation. “Within the framework of the family and giving youth individual rights to access their own reproductive health. So, can they go to a doctor, nurse without worrying if they are old enough or if the doctor or nurse will talk back to the parents? Access is about giving them the knowledge and empowering them to go for what they need. “The stigma is the misinformation. If you’re going to the clinic people automatically assume, you’re doing an HIV/AIDS test or abortion. [So] after the community empowerment, because of the stigma maybe 15 per cent will respond and come to the clinic. The biggest issue is misinformation,” Boothe said, adding that diversification of the content and how messages are shaped could possibly help. To address these issues Boothe wants to see more young people involved in advocacy and helping to push the message of JFPA in a diversified way. “It is a satisfying thing to do both for your own self development and community development. You’re building a network. If you put yourself out there you don’t know what can happen,” he said.

When Gary Hawkins began working at the library he assumed he would help teenagers with their homework or use his experience as DJ G Money to encourage them to pursue an interest in music.  He discovered his duties were much broader when a teenage girl approached him for help. Her boyfriend had been arrested and she believed she was pregnant.  Mr Hawkins knew what to do. Providing a listening ear and support, he talked to her about the different types of health services available in the New York borough of Queens, referring her to counselling.  Mr Hawkins, a youth counsellor at Queens Library for Teens, was one of the first to benefit from a ground-breaking partnership with Planned Parenthood of New York City to help answer those tricky questions.  It employs the library’s traditional role as a source of information and builds on the trust fostered by staff like him to make sure today’s teenagers - or anyone else - know they can ask for support.  Staff at Queens Library branches have received training in how to handle questions about everything from sexually transmitted diseases to gender identity.   Mr Hawkins said he never expected to face such a range of issues.  “When they first hired me I was thinking about music mostly, I’m a youth counsellor so I expected to talk to the kids and help out with homework, I’m thinking music questions, studio stuff, but every day is something different. Me and those kids build relationships." The idea for the tie-up came from Tamara Michel, a community health co-ordinator at Queens Library.   Librarians would come to her when they needed advice on tricky questions about health, sexuality and identity.  “A lot of times if people didn’t know the answer to a health-related question or if they didn’t know where to find that information, it would come back to me,” she said. “I think maybe several years ago, people thought, ‘Oooh, can I answer that question?’”  Staff wanted to help but no-one wanted to say the wrong thing or be accused of promoting personal values – a frequent worry around the subject of abortion, for example, a politically contentious issue.   Those questions are particularly fraught in Queens. The borough has long been regarded as New York’s melting pot, home to immigrant communities from Latin America to the Far East, all with different religious and cultural values.  In 2012 Ms Michel approached Planned Parenthood of New York City for help.  The first step was to develop a set of 15 guiding principles that reflected library values and gave staff a solid foundation from which to address the issues. They include encouraging young people to talk to a parent or a trusted adult, to demonstrate acceptance of all sexual orientations, to communicate in a respectful manner and when to refer customers to other services.  “It’s a framework so that all of our staff can be on the same page, making sure we are sending clear and consistent messages around health and sexuality,” said Ms Michel.  That went hand in hand with 18 hours of training for the first tranche of staff. They learned how to set questioners at ease by validating and normalising their questions, saying things like “that's a good question” or "a lot of people wonder that".   Melissa Malanuk, co-ordinator of teen services, said the training had given her a skillset and a level of comfort and confidence to take control of the conversation.  “Like when someone asks you something then you repeat the question, which sort of sets the tone that this is an OK conversation for us to have - it’s acceptable and I’m not judging you on this,” she said.  Almost 200 staff, representing all of the library’s branches, have been trained since the programme began. Planned Parenthood has also helped identify books, brochures and links to health providers.  Randa Dean, Senior Director of Adult and Professional Services at Planned Parenthood of New York City, said the partnership was a natural fit.   Bringing sex education out of the classroom and into the library made sense, she said, when so many people were already bringing their questions to librarians.  “They may not know where to go for this information so they are going to the place they trust the most, and there’s no reason why the staff at the library and librarians can’t provide that basic information for them,” she said.  "They are a trusted resource and with a little bit of partnership from us they have built their ability to be basic providers of that information, and they can connect to the more expert provision.”  Some library staff needed more convincing than others, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.  Kacper Jarecki, community library manager at the South Hollis branch, said it was simply an extension of the role played by libraries through history.  “We have a lot of books, a lot of materials that are open to us. “So of course, we are fans of having people educated and knowing what kinds of options and choices they have.”  The most important factor is the human touch and a safe environment to ask questions.  Even internet-savvy New York teenagers needed that, said Ms Malanuk.   “If you don’t know what you don’t know, how do you find the right answer? Your smartphone’s not going to do that for you,” she said.