91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – Now, with the onset of cold and flu season, as well as the commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, is the time to remind your library users of all the healthy living resources available at your library, this fall, winter and throughout their lives.



Here are just a few examples of what libraries are doing to keep users healthy.



National Network of Libraries of Medicine (Bethesda, Md.) Consumer Health Outreach Coordinator Karen Vargas developed Healthy aging @ your library: connecting older adults to health information programs. The program was designed as a train the trainer program for librarians, assisting them in working with the health concerns of older adult library patrons. The program taught librarians techniques for teaching older adults how to: use computers to find health information on the Internet; learn what makes a website senior-friendly; plan library programs on senior health topics; and find out about some recommended health websites for older adults. Librarians who took the class received educational credit from the Medical Library Association.



The University of Waterloo Library (Ontario, Canada) organized Get Healthy @ your library, a health fair developed by university librarians working with university students. For the fair, students were broken into health services’ peer health teams of six to 12 students that meet at the library three to five hours a week to plan and hold health information events discussing health concerns and healthy living to kids who are away from home for the first time. Health topics include healthy minds, mission nutrition and party smart.



Southwestern University’s A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center (Georgetown, Texas) promotes its healthy living resources to university students and faculty on its Facebook page with Get healthy @ your library. Resources include information on websites, databases, DVDs and print and electronic books on how to get and stay healthy.



Through Stay healthy @ your library the Houston Public Library provides health resource information to parents and caregivers to help children stay healthy and keep parents up-to-date on immunization requirements. The library’s website provides tips on avoiding the flu, information locating cost effective health care facilities and information and links to health databases in both English and Spanish.



The Campaign for America’s Libraries () is 91´«Ã½’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by 91´«Ã½’s , corporations and foundations.