NNLM webinar outlines steps for libraries to start health programming

Margie Shepard, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 3, led a webinar that walked library staff through practical steps for planning and running health outreach programs, from using public data to choosing partners and marketing events.

Shepard opened by noting libraries’ reach and trust in communities—"we receive up to four million visits per day," she said—and outlined four workshop goals: why libraries do health outreach, how to build an initial plan, programming ideas, and where to find National Library of Medicine (NLM)/NNLM resources and toolkits.

Shepard recommended starting with local data to match programming to need. She highlighted three freely available sources for planning: State Health Facts for state-level indicators (data compiled from sources such as the Kaiser Family Foundation), County Health Rankings & Roadmaps for county-level comparisons (produced by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), and the City Health Dashboard for city measures across 36 indicators. Shepard said these tools can surface priorities such as diabetes, premature death or low vaccination coverage that suggest program topics.

For small or pilot programs, Shepard emphasized low-barrier options (passive displays, resource bookmarks, partnered vaccine clinics) and listed categories libraries commonly use: food access and pantries, movement and exercise programs, access-to-care events (vaccine or screening clinics), chronic-disease education, mental-health supports, telehealth facilitation and children/family programs (sensory storytimes, family literacy). She also warned libraries to vet presenters and avoid programming that could promote unproven commercial products, noting the difference between "registered dietitians," who are credentialed, and unaffiliated "nutritionists."

Using examples, Shepard pointed attendees to turnkey ideas: bookmarks and curated collections for sensitive topics (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh), teen hygiene stations and teen resource centers, and a robust library-run food pantry (Penn Hills Library). The session included a short video case study showing how a rural library in Pottsboro, Texas, converted a storage room into a private telehealth room and partnered with clinical staff to schedule virtual appointments—presented as a model other libraries could adapt.

To move from idea to implementation, Shepard recommended two planning tools: a simple "seven key questions" checklist (who, what, when, where, why, how and how much) and a compact logic model that links inputs and activities to short‑ and long‑term outcomes and evaluation measures. She suggested using partner channels (schools, health departments, extension services, social service organizations) for both expertise and promotion, and listed marketing tactics—social media, flyers, email newsletters, end‑cap signage in the library and partner outreach—that have worked in small and large systems.

Shepard also pointed attendees to NNLM/NLM resources to reduce setup costs: a reading-club toolkit with curated health-themed book lists and discussion guides, citizen‑science project listings in partnership with SciStarter, downloadable materials from NLM/NIH (such as bilingual posters), and training opportunities. She said completing the webinar earns 1.5 credits toward the Medical Library Association's Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) and offered follow-up contact for questions about competencies and reimbursement assistance.

The webinar concluded with a prompt to select one small next step—identify a target audience, choose a low‑lift activity and a partner—and with links to the webinar handout, slides and NNLM resource pages for participants to download and share.