HIV/AIDS information promotion at the library: creative campaigns for young adults

Facilitating rural access to quality health information through Little Free Libraries

Background

In 2020 the Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) at the University of Florida collaborated with the Okeechobee County Public library (OCPL) on their plan to install Little Free Libraries (LFLs) within their community. It was agreed that the HSCL would provide consumer health-related materials for the Little Free Libraries and training with the goal of improving health literacy, precision medicine, and increasing rural access to consumer health materials and services.

Case Presentation

Using census data, the County Health Improvement Plan, and OCPL circulation data the team identified minority population groups, potential accessibility issues, and local consumer health information needs and barriers to select appropriate resources. Additionally, partnerships were created with the local Health Department, Parks and Recreation services, the Rotary Club, and other local organizations to make the project a success. A total of 424 books were selected for the LFLs and 40 unique online resources were selected, printed, and shipped to OCPL to be used during LFL reference sessions. Technology was purchased to assist OCPL with their planned community health reference outreach sessions. HSCL created and provided online training on facilitating consumer health outreach, conducting health information reference services, and promoting community engagement for OCPL.

Discussion

LFLs have become an important resource for lower-income rural families in Okeechobee. There are 7 LFLs in Okeechobee County, with a goal of eventually establishing 15 total to provide vital health resources and books. Over 2,456 items have been circulated among the 7 LFLs since May 2020. Overall, the project has been successful with positive feedback received from the community and with OCPL planning to continue to expand the project.

Assessing Health Students' Knowledge of and Perceived Utility and Effectiveness of Graphic Medicine Materials

Librarians can participate in the innovative field of graphic medicine by developing a collection of this genre. To assess the appropriateness of a graphic medicine collection in a university health science library, this study assessed knowledge of and usage of graphic medicine materials, as well as the materials' perceived utility and effectiveness. Given that responses suggested that graphic medicine resources can be useful to educational and clinical initiatives, it is reasonable for health science libraries to collect in this area. Further research in a practical setting can help illuminate the true effectiveness of graphic medicine materials in these realms.

Disease Information Through Comics: A Graphic Option for Health Education

This paper presents a critical interpretive synthesis of research on the efficacy of comics in educating consumers on communicable diseases. Using this review methodology, the authors drew from empirical as well as non-empirical literature to develop a theoretical framework exploring the implications of comics' combination of images and text to communicate this health promoting information. The authors examined selected works' alignment with the four motivational components of Keller's ARCS Model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) to evaluate research within the context of learner motivation. Findings of this research indicate comics offer a useful method for providing consumer health education, particularly regarding topics that individuals may have difficulty in discussing openly.