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6/26/08 The Wellness Information Zone Reaches Out

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The Wellness Information Zone Reaches Out
Community Programming Extends Health Education Beyond Website
June 26, 2008
Atlanta, GA

Community members in the 'It's All About You!' fitness class at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library

At the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Reference Department Manager Debra Branton has taken the Wellness Information Zone—a pioneering health information project—beyond the computer screen and into the community with programs like the new It’s All About You! exercise class (photo at left). Taught by Trevor Pace, head trainer of Bodiglyphix, Inc., the one-hour class has been packed with patrons—and staff!—putting what they have learned about maintaining good health into practice.

What is an exercise class doing in the public library?  It’s all part of the Wellness Information Zone, a pioneering health information project developed by The Humana Foundation in partnership with Libraries for the Future.

A library patron at the Wellness Information Zone

The Wellness Information Zone now encompasses exciting health programming—in addition to its consumer health website, library kiosks and one-on-one health information help—to position the library as an easy, reliable source of consumer health education for all.

"The Wellness Information Zone has touched lives," said Branton, relating a story about an older man who found out at the library's Wellness Information Zone that he should fill all his wife's prescriptions at one pharmacy. When he did, the pharmacist found that a mix of medications—and not dementia, as he'd thought—was causing his wife's confusion and combativeness. He came back to the Wellness Information Zone kiosk at the library to tell Branton "You have given me my wife back, and I thank you."

The Need

The Wellness Information Zone was developed in response to a growing crisis: people don't know where to turn for health information they can trust. The project’s website, Wellzone.org, features a search function that whittles down the many confusing, sometimes misleading options available on the internet to a small set of reliable, trustworthy results. Kiosks in libraries (like the one pictured below) offer easy access to Wellzone.org and other reliable health sites. The librarians and volunteers who staff Wellness Information Zone areas in libraries help people navigate these sites and find trustworthy answers to their health questions.

Patrons at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library's Wellness Information Zone kiosk

Participants are very excited by the new It’s All About You! class at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library main branch, which includes strengthening movements that target major muscle groups throughout the body, chair fitness routines, and nutrition and supplement counseling.  The classes also encourage participants to use library materials to learn more about nutrition and exercise.

Wellzone-related programming is springing up all over Fulton County, in fact, with four branches in the Atlanta-Fulton library system offering such programming in their communities. At the central branch, the Ivan Allen Jr. Reference Department has also provided such diverse health programs as an HIV/AIDS presentation by Tim’m T. West and a Raw & Living Foods seminar presented by Brenda Cobb. Combined with the Wellness Information Zone presence in these libraries, these inspiring and very popular programs have succeeded in drawing community members all across Fulton County into the library to improve their health.

In addition to expanded programming, the Wellzone website is slated for an overhaul and redesign this summer.  To see how much the site can offer anyone with health questions, be sure to check it out today—and in the near future—at www.wellzone.org!

37 Librarians Complete NY EqualAccess Libraries Institute
Business Reference & Programming Addition a Hit!
June 10, 2008
Geneva, NY

On June 10th, 37 librarians from New York’s Central and Southern Tier regions completed the 4-day EqualAccess Libraries Institute held in Geneva.  This was the third Institute to be offered in the state since the program’s start in 2005.  While all three Institutes have focused on ways in which the library can assess and address community needs, this was the first to include a business reference and programming session. 

Jennifer Kohane of the Simsbury Public Library, CT shares tips on business reference and programming

Business librarian Jennifer Keohane (photo above) from the Simsbury Public Library in Connecticut covered such topics as building your business collection, reaching out to local businesses, and offering top-notch business programming.  The participants came away inspired, and planning to put these new ideas into practice as soon as possible.  

Special thanks to all who attended (photo below)—and to our partners, the New York State Library and New York Library Association!

Participants in the 2008 New York EqualAccess Institute

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