Use of Social Media for Consumer Health Outreach in a Solo Hospital Library

ABSTRACT

Using social media in hospital libraries is an excellent tool for reaching and engaging existing or potential users. However, small or solo hospital librarians do not always have enough staff or time to incorporate these resources into their menu of services. Hospital librarians should consider the potential benefits of using the library as a trusted social media resource for the community and can customize outreach without sacrificing staff time, straining the budget, or battling the firewall. Having the hospital library offer health information to the community through social media has many potential benefits for improving health knowledge and health literacy.

KEYWORDS:

• Consumer health
• health knowledge
• health literacy
• hospital libraries
• social media

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine [Grant Number NO1-LM-6-3501].

Notes on contributors

Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi

Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, BA ([email protected]) is Library Director of Trinitas Regional Medical Center, 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07207, USA.