Public Libraries as Community Centers to Improve Health Access and Increase Health Equity

Public libraries serve as vital information sources for community residents.  Individuals, particularly in urban, medically underserved communities, including some of the most isolated neighborhoods of Queens, New York, rely heavily on their community libraries as trusted institutions.  According to Census data, nearly half of Queens residents are foreign-born, and more than half speak a language other than English in their homes.  Queens is incredibly diverse: approximately 21% Black or African American, 25% Asian, and 28% Hispanic or Latino. 

Queens Library serves as a model for developing strategic community-academic and community-medical partnerships that reach broadly and deeply into marginalized neighborhoods to provide information and resources that are accessible to those with the greatest need.  This presentation will present methods used to maximize the impact partnerships can have to: tailor interventions to raise awareness and increase knowledge surrounding the most common health issues through culturally appropriate education; increase access to cancer screenings in communities with disproportionately high rates of late-stage cancer detection; facilitate access to primary care in shortage areas through free health screenings and opportunities to obtain medical appointments (to take place at local Federally Qualified Health Centers) in various trusted community settings.

In the last year alone, through formal and informal partnerships, Queens Library has reached approximately 30,000 residents through health programming and outreach.  Of those, more than 1000 received health screenings, including more than 200 cancer screenings.  In addition, more than 100 were referred for primary care appointments in eight of our 62 community library locations.