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This broad-ranging resource is for librarians who want to begin a new program or incorporate healthy living into an existing one.From garden plots to cooking classes to StoryWalks to free yoga, more and more libraries are developing innovative programs and partnerships to encourage healthy living. Libraries increasingly provide health and wellness programs for all ages and abilities, and
Healthy Living at the Library is intended for library staff of all types who want to offer programs and services that foster healthy living, particularly in the domains of food and physical activity.
Author Noah Lenstra, who has extensive experience directing and advising on healthy living programs, first outlines steps librarians should take when starting programs, highlighting the critical role of community partnerships. The second section of the book offers detailed instructions for running different types of programs for different ages and abilities. A third section includes advice on keeping the momentum of a program going and assessing program impacts. Lenstra offers tips on how to overcome challenges or roadblocks that may arise. An appendix contains resources you can adapt to get these programs off the ground, including waivers of liability, memoranda of understanding, and examples of strategic plans and assessment tools.
List of contents
PART I: SETTING THE STAGE FOR HEALTHY LIVING AT THE LIBRARYChapter 1-Introduction to Healthy Living at the LibraryChapter 2-Why Libraries? Everyone Has a Role to PlayChapter 3-History: It's Longer Than You Think!Chapter 4-How Do We Do This? Partnerships Extend Access to Healthy Living OpportunitiesPART II: STARTING PROGRAMSChapter 5-Look Inward: Healthy Libraries Create Healthy ProgramsChapter 6-Exercise Your Resources and Don't Do It AloneChapter 7-Seek and Give Support in Communities of LibrariansChapter 8-Watch Your Step: Key Challenges and SolutionsPART III: OFFERING PROGRAMSChapter 9-Healthy Living in All ProgramsChapter 10-All Ages Play, or Why Should Kids Have All the Fun?Chapter 11-Immersive Cooking and Fitness ClassesChapter 12-Creating Health-Supporting Spaces and Collections for Your ProgramsChapter 13-Take Your Programs OutsideChapter 14-Putting the Pieces Together into a Programming PlanChapter 15-Healthy Living across the Seasons: Ideas for Year-Round Healthy LivingPART IV: SUSTAINING HEALTHY LIVING AT THE LIBRARYChapter 16-Assessing and Communicating the Impacts You've MadeChapter 17-Building and Maintaining the MomentumAppendix A: Waiver of LiabilityAppendix B: Memorandum of UnderstandingReferencesIndex
About the author
Noah Lenstra directs the Let's Move in Libraries initiative at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he is a faculty member of library and information studies.
