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NNLM-funded projects let public libraries lend CO2 monitors, revealing poorly ventilated classrooms and branches
Summary
Presenters at an NNLM Region 7 webinar described NLM-funded projects that placed CO2 monitors in public library 'Library of Things' collections. Brookline (MA) and Hamden (CT) reported tens to hundreds of circulations and two cases where monitors identified low ventilation that prompted follow-up with school officials and facilities staff.
Benny Finch, education and outreach coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) Region 7, said NNLM-funded projects are helping public libraries loan carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors so patrons can measure indoor ventilation and act on the results.
Kate Nyan, a public health librarian at Yale and cofounder of Community Access to Ventilation Information (CAVI), described CO2 as "an important measure of indoor air quality" and said libraries are well suited to share monitors, curated educational materials and data-access tools. Nyan recommended sensors with nondispersive infrared (NDIR) technology, historical-data connectivity and simple calibration for successful public-circulation programs.
Two library systems presented deployment results. Ryan Brennan described Brookline's Library of Things, which placed 10 monitors on shelf in early 2024 (five at the main branch, three at Coolidge Corner, two at Putterham). "As of mid-April, they've circulated about 152 times," Brennan said; Brookline circulates monitors for two weeks, permits renewals and holds, and restricts pickup to local branches.
Melissa Canham Klein described Hamden's rollout, based on a 2023 community needs assessment and 23 listening sessions across a town of about 61,000 residents. Hamden deployed 10 monitors (four at the main branch, three each at two branches) and set a three-week checkout period. Canham Klein recounted a teacher who "found there was really hardly any ventilation going on in that room" after borrowing a monitor; the teacher used the data to engage the teachers' union and school administrators. She also described an evening when a branch monitor alarmed near 3,000 parts per million (ppm); staff opened windows, contacted public works and a contractor investigated and the branch closed briefly for repairs before reopening.
Panelists emphasized equity and health literacy: Nyan noted that high-quality CO2 monitors can cost about $250, a barrier for many households, and argued libraries can reduce that gap by lending devices and providing context for interpreting readings. The group stressed pairing monitors with clear materials (including multilingual resources), hands-on programming and partner organizations (e.g., mutual-aid groups or local climate and health organizations) to increase awareness and proper use.
Program logistics that libraries reported include containerized storage with QR-coded guides, inclusion in the public-facing catalog (photos and descriptions where possible), in-person pickup and return (no book-drop returns), and straightforward processing steps (barcodes, quick-start guides, spare batteries). Panelists described NNLM's grant materials and reporting as accessible and useful to applicants and said volunteering as grant reviewers helped teams learn from peer projects.
Finch said slides and materials will be shared with registrants and invited attendees to follow up via the chat or by email for more details. The webinar recording and captions will be distributed to registrants.
