Using Little Free Libraries to Improve Access to Health Information

In North Carolina, residents of both 98 and 95 areas live in underserved communities with limited access to medical care and information, healthy food retail, and other resources that make individuals healthy and communities vital. To compound these issues, there is limited access to broadband in many of our 95 areas. This project will use a network of more than 500 little free libraries in North Carolina to provide evidence-based health information about vaping tobacco products, healthy food, physical activity, accessing health information through Medline Plus, and how to access food through food banks and libraries in 95, medically underserved areas. This project will contribute to the mission of the NNLM to improve public health by improving individuals' access to information to enabling them to make informed decisions about their health. The North Carolina Alliance for Health will provide high quality health information to individuals in underserved areas; improve access to, awareness of, and skills to locate high quality biomedical and health information through Medline Plus; and improve access to community resources by vulnerable populations. Ultimately, this will improve North Carolinians access to information to enable them to make informed decisions.