Partnerships for a Healthy Community

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Partnerships for a Healthy Community

• Laredo Public Librarys Childrens Health Fair
  and Outreach Program

Rena Ren, Public Services Manager, Laredo Public
Library Keith Cogdill, Director of South Texas
Information Services, UTHSC-San Antonio Alex
Potemkin, Head of Reference, Laredo Public Library
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Grant from National Network of Libraries of
Medicine (NN/LM)

• Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT
  HSC)
• Laredo Public Library
• City of Laredo Parks and Leisure Department
• Health Department
• Laredos PBS station, KLRN
• Imaginarium of South Texas (Laredo Childrens
  Museum)
• Laredo Fire Department

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Program Design

• Focus 1
• The Childrens Health Fair at LPLs main
  library.
• Focus 2
• Deliver health-oriented programs to children at
  eight of the summer day-camps organized by the
  citys Parks and Leisure Department.

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Promotion of the program

• The Citys Public Information Office
• announcements.
• Local radio, television stations, and newspaper
  announcements.
• The posted announcement on the librarys website
  and within the branches.
• Outreach Program Manager contacted the local
  schools and other childrens organizations in the
  area.

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Children Health Fair Booths

• Free immunizations
• Dental screens
• Environment safety
• Animal safety and control
• Childrens nutrition
• The display for health related books DVDs
• Hands on activities by The Imaginarium

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Children Health Fair Booths-cont.

• Firefighter truck station in the library parking
  area.
• Ambulance open for children and parents to visit.
• Medline Plus electronic resources station, with
  Spanish resources.
• The picture station with Piggley Winks and LPL
  mascot, Reader Bear.
• Refreshment station with donations from local
  HEB.

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Results

• We received a 5,000 grant from NN/LM-SCR.
• 334 children and parents attended the Childrens
  Health Fair on 7/19/08.
• 815 children attended the health programs at the
  City Recreation Centers.
• 44 free immunization shots for people who needed
  them.
• About 100 pictures developed for the children who
  attended the Health Fair.

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Health Fair
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Recreation Center Outreach
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Lessons Learned

• Importance of collaboration partnerships within
  the community.
• Communication is the key for successful
  collaboration program.
• Flexibility and back-up plans as necessary.

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Last word for a library that needs funding to
conduct programs

• The portable computer presentation package
  purchased from the grant has been very useful for
  outreach and in-house programs.
• If you are interested in conducting children
  adult health programs to benefit your community,
  please call 800-338-7657
• or visit
• http//nnlm.gov/scr/funding

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Laredo Public Library

• To download this presentation visit the LPL
  website homepage at
• www.laredolibrary.org