Public Libraries as Supports of Social, Mental, and Physical Health

About this experience

Friday, 12:00 – 1:30 pm     
April 17

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A special course that includes an engaging lecture and a boxed lunch.

Public Libraries as Supports of Social, Mental, and Physical Health

In 2023, then US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report entitled Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation that recommends addressing this epidemic by investing in public libraries, as well as in other physical spaces that support the development of social connections. This course discusses how we got from the idea of the public library as a place to get books to the idea of the public library as a vital community center that supports social, mental, and even physical health. We’ll discuss how changes in society, technology, public health, and in the field of library science brought about changes in this ubiquitous public institution, and we’ll also discuss current threats to the ongoing resilience of the public library and how you can get more involved in public libraries near you. Finally, the course describes the variegated landscape of public libraries across America, exploring how and why public libraries look and function differently in different parts of the country, and how that heterogeneity in turn enables experimentation and new forms of community collaboration that enhance the ability of the public library to function as a health promotion partner. 

Refund Policy

To receive a refund, a written request must be received 3 business days before the first class. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund.  ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address above.