Resources
Access the tools, program ideas and primers you need to stay up-to- date on health literacy topics.
Program Ideas
New research by a San Jose State University scholar finds that most health programs offered by a major U.S. public library system are developed through community partnerships. San Jose Public Library not only works with partners to develop programs offered at the library, they also participate in regional health campaigns. Keep reading to learn how they do it, and to get inspired to try something new at your library!
Storytime in the Orchard is an all-ages storytime hosted by Boyertown Community Library and Frecon Farms. It is held outdoors on Thursdays at 9 a.m. from mid-June through October, weather permitting.
This program enhances awareness of local agriculture, provides a family experience of nature and boosts health literacy while having fun.
As long as they are not selling anything or focusing only on promoting themselves, local businesses can be excellent partners for library programs that promote health and wellness.
De-Stress with Doggos is based on the idea that adults would benefit just as much, if not more, from therapy dog sessions as children do. This event included pizza, crafts and games, as well as therapy dogs.
We have partnered for the past five years with our local hospital, Adena Health System, and several other local organizations to provide a healthy component to our annual summer reading program, Bookworm. Children can work on health challenges as well as reading challenges, earning prizes for both.
Health care systems and hospitals can be the best partners you can have for health programming. Public libraries in the U.S. have worked with hospitals to offer everything from bike safety programs to healthy cooking classes to fun, engaging hand hygiene games.
Every year on Pi Day, March 14, local animal shelter Pet Rescue by Judy brings puppies to our library, and we set up an area in our larger meeting room where teens and adults can play with them. Because it’s Pi Day, we also buy seven or eight pies from the local grocery store.
So we eat pie and play with puppies for a couple of hours. This year, the event lasted from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Looking to add some movement to your storytimes? Interested in physical literacy, but not sure where to start? Here are six groovy titles to get you off on the right foot (pun intended). You can find more kid-friendly physical literacy book reviews here. So gather some kid-friendly instruments and be prepared to make some noise!
Each year, one Sunday in late April is National ParkRX Day. This day celebrates the “the growing movement of prescribing parks and nature to patients to improve human health.” National ParkRX Day builds upon the U.S. Surgeon General’s call to promote walking and walkable communities. Americans need to move more, and parks are the perfect place for that.
Our library has partnered with our local Wood River Parks and Recreation Department to offer a weekly children's program for kids (ages 5 and younger) that combines gymnastics and motor skills with literacy.
The library provides staff and a story for storytime; the parks department provices the gymnastics equipment and space for the little ones to play.
