Healthy Living at the Library: Programs for All Ages

by Noah Lenstra

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440863141
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/18/2020
Pages:	234
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.49(d)

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.

Table of Contents

Part I Setting the Stage for Healthy Living at the Library 1

Chapter 1 Introduction to Healthy Living at the Library 3

Chapter 2 Why Libraries? Everyone Has a Role to Play 11

Chapter 3 History: It's Longer Than You Think! 18

Chapter 4 How Do We Do This? Partnerships Extend Access to Healthy Living Opportunities 27

Part II Starting Programs 33

Chapter 5 Look Inward: Healthy Libraries Create Healthy Programs 35

Chapter 6 Exercise Your Resources and Don't Do It Alone 47

Chapter 7 Seek and Give Support in Communities of Librarians 63

Chapter 8 Watch Your Step: Key Challenges and Solutions 74

Part III Offering Programs 85

Chapter 9 Healthy Living in All Programs 87

Chapter 10 All Ages Play, or Why Should Kids Have All the Fun? 102

Chapter 11 Immersive Cooking and Fitness Classes 114

Chapter 12 Creating Health-Supporting Spaces and Collections for Your Programs 135

Chapter 13 Take Your Programs Outside 153

Chapter 14 Putting the Pieces Together into a Programming Plan 172

Chapter 15 Healthy Living across the Seasons: Ideas for Year-Round Healthy Living 174

Part IV Sustaining Healthy Living at the Library 177

Chapter 16 Assessing and Communicating the Impacts You've Made 179

Chapter 17 Building and Maintaining the Momentum 189

Appendix A Waiver of Liability 199

Appendix B Memorandum of Understanding 203

References 205

Index 219

What People are Saying About This

Kendra Auberry

"Healthy Living at the Library provides a wealth of examples helpful for any size library to start or add to their healthy living initiatives. What sets this book apart is the perspective provided for each example. Readers are not told what should be done; rather, they are given a variety of perspectives from librarians around the world who have been doing the work for years now of integrating healthy living into their library's programming efforts. Librarians can then take the ideas and adapt them to suit their community's needs. As someone who has integrated a variety of health-related programming at a joint-use library (serving public patrons as well as college students), I found myself agreeing with the approaches offered on how to get started as well as jotting down additional ideas of how to move forward strategically with future efforts. This book will be invaluable for any librarian wishing to increase the health education opportunities of their community through library programming."

Josh Berk

"Noah Lenstra has established himself as the expert on the innovative trends in health and wellness programs at libraries. With historical perspective, excellent research, and detailed case studies, Healthy Living at the Library gives readers everything they need to know to get a wellness program up and running. From square dancing to belly dancing, from weight lifting to yoga, from therapy dogs to bike shares—all in the library—this book will leave you inspired and ready for action."

Janet Ingraham Dwyer

"With enthusiasm, generosity, and a formidable knowledge base, Noah Lenstra makes the case for library promotion of public health and provides librarians much inspiration and practical advice. Health, wellness, nutrition, and movement programming and related activities, from serving summer meals to lending bikes, aren't mission-stretching add-ons; rather, they are intrinsic to the purpose of the library and tremendously beneficial to participants. A wide array of examples from libraries around the United States and worldwide demonstrate that library involvement makes healthy living practices accessible and inclusive while enhancing the library’s role in the community."

Susan Hildreth

"Libraries are natural partners in encouraging healthy living for our communities. Based on my positive experiences with Let’s Move Museums and Gardens promoting healthy practices in cultural spaces, I am thrilled to see similar success in this exciting compilation of health-related activities in our libraries."

Loida Garcia-Febo

"Noah Lenstra has consistently promoted and researched healthy living and wellness, which was one of my ALA presidential efforts. I’m heartened to read his book—the first of its kind!—including ideas for programming for year-round healthy living and for how to sustain healthy living at the library, which would equip library workers with resources to practice these principles and bring best practices to the communities they serve."

Michelle Bennett-Copeland

"Implementing physical health and wellness programs at the library allow it to be a one-stop shop to meet the needs of the community; patron services can be enhanced by increasing literacy and health and wellness activities for patrons."

Editorial Reviews

A solid purchase for librarians seeking to expand year-round programming with healthy ideas.” —Library Jourbanal

From the Publisher

10/01/2020

Lenstra, who heads up the Let's Move initiative at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, offers a straightforward road map for librarians who want to develop programs and partnerships related to healthy living. Chapters describe how to start, run, and sustain wellness programs, such as walking book clubs, fitness bingo, and dance classes. The author also explores how to create spaces and collections on wellness, as well as programs related to cooking and emotional health. Lenstra highlights activities that will attract participants in any size or type of library, including school and academic institutions. Central to these programs is health equity, or the realization that socioeconomic status and privilege play a huge role in health. The book spotlights free programs, as well as those sponsored by outside groups, and addresses practical considerations, including funding, strategic plans, needs assessment, patron satisfaction. A sample waiver of liability is included in an appendix. VERDICT A solid purchase for librarians seeking to expand year-round programming with healthy ideas.—Susan Belsky, Oshkosh P.L., WI

Library Journal

01/01/2021

Lenstra, who heads up the Let's Move initiative at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, offers a straightforward road map for librarians who want to develop programs and partnerships related to healthy living. Chapters describe how to start, run, and sustain wellness programs, such as walking book clubs, fitness bingo, and dance classes. The author also explores how to create spaces and collections on wellness, as well as programs related to cooking and emotional health. Lenstra highlights activities that will attract participants in any size or type of library, including school and academic institutions. Central to these programs is health equity, or the realization that socioeconomic status and privilege play a huge role in health. The book spotlights free programs, as well as those sponsored by outside groups, and addresses practical considerations, including funding, strategic plans, needs assessment, and patron satisfaction. A sample waiver of liability is included in an appendix. VERDICT A solid purchase for librarians seeking to expand year-round programming with healthy ideas.—Susan Belsky, Oshkosh P.L., WI

School Library Journal