Teaching Kids About Healthy Lifestyles Through Stories and Games: Partnering With Public Libraries to Reach Local Children

Abstract

Each year, the Medical Library faculty members of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport (LSUHSC-S) focus on an outreach project that moves them beyond the walls of the Library to serve the local community. In the spring of 2009, the librarians embarked on a project to create a kids' health Web portal as part of the Library's consumer health Web site healthelinks. The purpose of the “For Kids” Web portal was to provide health information, games, and activities appropriate for children. Another goal was to feature stories and follow-up activities selected for story hours hosted by LSUHSC-S Library faculty in the Shreve Memorial Public Library System in Shreveport, Louisiana. This article provides an overview of the project, highlighting both successes and lessons learned.

Keywords:

• children
• consumer health
• health
• reading
• story hours
• wellness

Notes

Comments and suggestions should be sent to the Column Editors: Anne Beschnett ([email protected]) or Donna Timm ([email protected])