The document summarizes a public library project funded by the Public Library Improvement Fund to improve access to health and wellbeing information in libraries. Key points: - The project involved collaboration between several Ayrshire libraries and local health partners to raise awareness of library health resources and spaces among health professionals. - Activities included presentations to over 230 health professionals, developing health-focused library materials, and a project launch event. - Next steps included further promotion at health events, conferences, and the potential to extend the project with additional funding.

1. Public Library Improvement Fund
2013 Grants
Health & Wellbeing
Amina Shah, SLIC CEO

3. Why Take Control?
• One in three people face cancer
• Information on the internet can be unreliable, confusing and even dangerous
• Patients and their families need resources close to home
• A single focus service, engaging specialist professionals maximising
chances of lasting success
• Encouraging self referral reduced reliance on health professional referrals
and widened potential service use
• Patient self management is encouraged and gives people back some control

4. Partners
A small project team was deliberately set up to make
sure the decision making process was effective and
focused. It meant it was easier to schedule meetings
where everyone was present

5. Planning Process
• Bid prepared for funding sent to SLIC
• A plan was written to identify realistic targets to ensure
project was completed in time
• It was decided to aim the collection at both cancer
patients and their families
• Referrals could be done via both health professionals
but self referral was to be strongly encouraged
• A Collection Policy was written to allow us to identify
potential material and keep the collection relevant

6. Collections to include:
• Cancer types and treatment based upon the most common
cancers identified in Tayside but also to try and include material
on other cancers
• We looked up Amazon to see what titles were being purchased
• Nutrition and exercise - whilst undergoing treatment this is an
area the medical profession often do not have time to discuss
fully with patients and their families
• Relaxation and mindfulness
• Survivor’s stories - more and more people are surviving cancer

7. Promotional Material
• We tried to brand the material to match the colour of the quick pick
units we had chosen to house the collections
• Angus Council Design unit devised a logo and colours were used to
reflect the branding
• Posters – Surgeries, Hospitals, Schools, Libraries, Citizen’s Advice,
Shops
• Leaflets for health professionals
• Explanatory leaflets
• Credit card sized reminders to put in purses or wallets
• Feedback bookmarks
• All promotional material was reviewed by health professionals and
patients to ensure we had the correct terminology

8. Marketing
• To engage both health professionals and the public
information about the new service was drip fed to local
newspapers
• Partners in NHS Tayside provided us with avenues we
had never heard about! We had press releases on the
NHS Intranet
• ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland)
• We used social media on our own facebook site and the
Angus NHS news
• Adverts were run on local radio for two weeks
• Social media – facebook and now a web presence

9. Getting the message out
• Health Professionals put us in touch with
Practice Managers, Pharmacists, Hospitals
• Presentations were scheduled at CMRR Groups
(Community Medicine and Rehabilitation
Redesign) – GP’s, Consultants, Specialist
nurses, Social Workers, OT’s, Physiotherapists
• Libraries were encouraged to visit surgeries

10. Pre launch
• Procedures were drawn up for library staff
• Very important staff are discreet and books are issued in
confidence
• A staff member joined a Sage training, a course
designed for medical receptionists to help people in
distress
• Altered our loan period so that people did not get
unwelcome reminders at a time they may be having
treatment
• The location of the collections is important so they are
visible yet allow people who may not have told their
families about a diagnosis privacy to browse
• We signposted people to other support agencies

11. Monitoring
• LMS Statistics will tell us how many times
particular books are being borrowed
• We can see how the collections are being
used in different locations
• Hits to the website and the way people
interact with it are recorded monthly
• Feedback bookmarks tell us how people
find out about the collection and its
relevance to them

12. The way forward…….
Chi gung?
Creative writing?
Benefits advice?
Collections for other conditions?

13. For more information
http://www.angus.gov.uk/atoz/takecontrol.cfm
http://www.angus.gov.uk/AngusLibraries
http://www.facebook.com/AngusLibraries

14. Keep Well With Your Library
A health project supported by SLIC and
the Scottish Government Public Library
Quality Improvement Fund

15. East Dunbartonshire Asset Map

16. Ramblers Scotland Medal Routes
leaflet

17. Walking group leaving from Milngavie
Library with promotional bag

18. Walking group leaving from Milngavie
Library with promotional bag

19. Volunteers looking at the contents of
Memory Boxes

20. The Holidays Memory Box

21. Our listening group

22. Creative Art Therapy Session

23. Creative Art Therapy Session

24. Creative Art Therapy Session

26. Leaflet promoting the joint approach to supporting long
term conditions in East Dunbartonshire

27. Timetable of Groups, Classes and
Activities

28. NHS leaflets on various long
term conditions

29. First meeting of a new Stroke Support
Group

30. Alphabet Soup:
health literacy with Inverclyde Libraries

31. Alphabet Soup Launch with Fischy Music

32. Alphabet Soup … the competition!
We asked for …
Your favourite healthy recipe and the story behind it
(primary & secondary age)
Artwork of your favourite healthy meal or food
(nursery school age)

33. Events: storytellers at our libraries

34. Chef sessions at local schools and nurseries

35. Open days with fantastic facepainting

36. Partnership with West College
Scotland

37. Alphabet Soup Social Media

38. Alphabet Soup Resources

39. Alphabet Soup Celebration

40. Carrot and Honey Soup
By Marisa, age 8

41. Grannie’s Soup
By Mikey, age 3

42. Tree with Blueberries
By Freya, age 4 ½

43. Avocado & Bean Salad in a Lettuce Wrap
By Rachel, age 14

44. Happy Carrots & Apples
By Edward, age 4 ¾
Mince & Potatoes
By Logan, age 4

45. Alphabet Soup: Ingredients
1 great launch event
3 new kitchens
2 Alphabet Soup Story and Song Sessions (West College Scotland)
8 storyteller sessions (at libraries and Young People’s Centres)
10 chef demonstration sessions
LOTS of new books linked to healthy eating for 0-16 year olds (and
families)
Healthy locally-sourced recipe books for every family in Inverclyde
1 fun celebration of Alphabet Soup project
1 partnership with local college
3 open days with family facepainting
600 Alphabet Soup entries
392 adults attending events
795 children and teenagers attending events

46. Health and Wellbeing Information in
Libraries
Rhona Arthur
Senior Manager, Information and Culture
North Ayrshire Council

47. Gaun Yersel - Self-Management
Strategy
The Scottish Government Strategy calls for:
• People to have more access to high quality information about
their condition and its impact on their life.
• People to have more access to support including peer support.
Increased provision of emotional and mental health support for
people with long term physical conditions.
• A change in culture so that people - those receiving and those
delivering services - have the confidence and capacity to work
together as partners.
• Better partnerships working by NHS, voluntary sector and local
authorities.
Scottish Government & The Local Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS), Gaun
Yersel: The Self Management Strategy for Long Term Conditions in Scotland, 2008

48. Health and Wellbeing Information in
Libraries Project Background
 Libraries at the heart of the community providing: health
information; community spaces; book/knitters groups; access to
Internet and signposting
 Already many links between libraries, NHS and other partners
e.g. Macmillan, Public Partnership Forum and Action on Hearing
 Successful funding bid from the Public Library Improvement
Fund, Scottish Government through the Scottish Library and
Information Council (SLIC)
 Produce publicity to help raise awareness of our services to
health professionals in order that they can signpost to their clients
 Reciprocal promotion and support of health and wellbeing
projects in libraries

49. Project Team
 North Ayrshire Libraries, South Ayrshire Libraries and East Ayrshire
Leisure
 Self-Management Network Co-ordinator from NHS Ayrshire & Arran
 Health Information & Resources Service
 Managed Clinical Networks – Diabetes, Respiratory
 Macmillan Cancer Information Services
 Keep Well Programme – Coronary Heart Disease/Diabetes
 VASA – Voluntary Action South Ayrshire

50. Project Plan – Team Talks
Self-Management Network
Keep Well Programme
Podiatry – Enablement and High Risk
Speech and Language Therapists
Moving on Together patient self-management programme
Diabetes Managed Clinical Network
VASA – Voluntary Action South Ayrshire – Strictly Seniors Event
Respiratory Patient Group

51. Team Talk Outcomes
• Raised awareness of libraries and how they can
support self-management – engaged with around 230
health professionals
• Resources in libraries, e.g. Speech and Language
parents’ book in North Ayrshire libraries
• Group using library spaces, e.g. Voice Group
• Poster and leaflet publicity, based on feedback from
talks

52. Launch 9th May – Greenwood Conference Centre

53. What’s Next?
 Distribution list for materials
 Further promotion at NHS team meetings
 Promotion at Health events e.g. Diabetes Conference,
Ayr Hospital and Mindfulness Conference, Irvine
 Poster at NHS Scotland Event, Glasgow 3-4th June
 Presentation at Cilips (Chartered Institute of Library &
Information Professionals, Scotland) Conference,
Dundee 2-3rd June
 Possibility of further funding bid to extend project

54. What’s Next?
 Distribution list for materials
 Further promotion at NHS team meetings
 Promotion at Health events e.g. Diabetes Conference,
Ayr Hospital and Mindfulness Conference, Irvine
 Poster at NHS Scotland Event, Glasgow 3-4th June
 Presentation at Cilips (Chartered Institute of Library &
Information Professionals, Scotland) Conference,
Dundee 2-3rd June
 Possibility of further funding bid to extend project

55. Health and Wellbeing Information in Libraries
Contacts
If you would like us to come and talk to your team about how
public libraries can help support your project in the
community, please use the following contacts:
Alison McAllister – North Ayrshire Libraries
Systems and Support Officer
amcallister@north-ayrshire.gsx.gov.uk
Joan Black – South Ayrshire Libraries
Lifelong Learning Librarian
Joan.Black@south-ayrshire.gov.uk
Julia Harvey – East Ayrshire Leisure
Systems and Support Officer
Julia.Harvey@east-ayrshire.gov.uk