Health

Format: Webinar, original date December 17, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction and Public Library Association
Length: 1 hour

Public libraries are uniquely positioned to help their communities address substance misuse, homelessness, and mental health concerns, by connecting residents with accurate information and resources. Libraries are seen by many as safe, neutral spaces; but some topics carry fear and stigma that can have an outsized impact on staff and community members’ ability to respond. Compassionate training, policies, programming, and choice of terminology can help remove barriers that prevent people from seeking help for themselves or others, and give library staff the information and support they need to address this and other public health crises. This webinar will use several examples of library responses to the opioid crisis to highlight approaches, resources, and programs that can help reduce stigma and fear and promote healthier communities.

Presented by: Tramaine EL-Amin, Jessica Styons, Sheila Prevost and Kendra Morgan

Format: Webinar, original date April 5, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople, as part of the California State Library Mental Health Initiative webinar series, Where Compassion Meets Action
Length: 1 hour

Presented by: Lisa Harris

Format: Webinar, original date January 22, 2014
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Public libraries provide a variety of health reference services and public programs to support community health literacy. Health literacy has been described by the Institute of Medicine as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) provides comprehensive health information resources and services to libraries across eight regions nationwide. Join this WebJunction webinar to learn more about the health information resources available through the National Library of Medicine and the NN/LM. Representatives of the NN/LM Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library will discuss their collaborative efforts with public libraries regarding the Affordable Care Act and other popular health information topics. They will be joined by a representative from Santa Ana Public Library, and together share strategies for strengthening your own library's health information services, to improve the health literacy of your community.

Presented by: Alan Carr, Kelli Ham and Milly C. Lugo-Rios

Format: Webinar, original date January 26, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Access to reliable consumer health information is an essential component of individual and community well-being. Because of their unique role and reputation for being open and available to all, public libraries bring valuable assets to supporting local community health efforts. In this WebJunction webinar, participants will explore essential pathways for libraries to address meaningful health information and services. Participants will be introduced to foundational considerations for ensuring ethics and privacy in patron interactions, maintaining health collections at the public library, addressing community health literacy, and supporting healthy communities through partnerships. Participants will also be introduced to resources to advance these topics in their community, and leave the session prepared to join the strong network of public libraries advancing health education nationwide.

Presented by: Francisca Goldsmith

Format: Webinar, original date January 8, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction and Let's Move in Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Your library can play a central role in promoting the health and wellness of its community through fostering higher health literacy. This means increasing people’s capacity to obtain and understand basic health information that leads to appropriate health decisions and connection with services. Library programs directed toward children, teens, adults, and families deliver credible health information and activities that boost wellness. The Oklahoma Department of Libraries has fostered health literacy throughout the state, forging partnerships at state and local levels. Learn how one library in Miami, Oklahoma, made health literacy a central part of its operations, offering everything from diabetes prevention to yoga classes, as well healthy cooking demonstrations and even a community garden. Get ideas for simple (but powerful) health literacy programs you can offer at your library regardless of your size or budget.

Presented by: Noah Lenstra, Leslie A. Gelders, and Marcia Johnson

Format: Webinar, original date April 11, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople, as part of the California State Library Mental Health Initiative webinar series, Where Compassion Meets Action
Length: 1 hour

Library staff are tasked with providing more and more services for their communities despite continually shrinking budgets. Often overlooked, is the importance of self-care while doing this work, including the awareness of the effects of trauma and building resiliency. If you have you found yourself feeling drained, growing more irritable or less empathetic in your work you may be at-risk for compassion fatigue.

In this session presenter Katie Scherrer discusses compassion fatigue, how to become aware of its symptoms and warning signs, and acknowledge workplace stressors in the library profession that can put us at-risk. We discuss the importance of creating space for self-care in our lives to prevent and/or heal from compassion fatigue, and explore steps for creating a personalized self-care plan. Mindfulness as a specific self-care strategy is explored, with several real-time mindfulness practices interspersed throughout the webinar.

Presented by: Katie Scherrer

Format: Webinar, original date October 30, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction and Public Library Association
Length: 1 hour

As communities across the country experience the impact of the opioid epidemic, public library staff are finding themselves on the front line of this public health crisis. How should libraries engage? Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Epidemic with Their Community is an IMLS-funded project led by OCLC and PLA to expand libraries’ capacity to support their communities. The project studied a diverse set of communities where the library is an active partner in addressing the epidemic and facilitated discussions with library leaders and a range of government, public health, and community organizations. Presenters will share insights gained from the case studies and emerging practices, opportunities, and challenges, and share resources to help library staff guide their libraries’ response to the opioid crisis. This is the first in a series of webinars on this topic, highlighting the project findings.

Presented by: Lynn Silipigni Connaway,  Michelle Jeske, Marion Rorke,  Larra Clark, and Kendra Morgan

Format: Webinar, original date November 15, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Suicide is a national public health issue that impacts people from all walks of life, regardless of whether or not they have served in the military. However, the suicide rate among Veterans was 52% higher than non-Veteran adults in the U.S. in 2019, and Veteran suicides represent approximately 22% of all suicide deaths in the U.S. (2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). Libraries are well positioned to provide information and referral services to connect Veterans and members of military communities with Veterans Health Administration programs and initiatives that address risks and protective factors for suicidal behaviors. View this webinar with presenters from the Veterans Health Administration Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, who provide an introduction to military culture and share how libraries can help raise awareness of the resources available to Veterans, their families, and other members of military communities.

Presented by: Lillie Mells and Shurhonda Love

Format: Webinar, original date January 25, 2017
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

What is meant by trauma informed services and how should libraries be involved? This webinar will explore the effects of trauma on society and how libraries are directly impacted by the trauma and stress carried by the communities they serve. Additionally we’ll cover information about a Mental Health First Aid training program and how it applies to library services. Finding awareness of the effects of trauma on our community leads to more compassion and allows us to dive into our own problem solving skills more effectively. Presenter Elissa Hardy will provide resources and real life examples, as well as discuss the importance of creating a self-care plan for library staff.

Presented by: Elissa Hardy