Library Heroes Make Health Happen
Note: This resource was created as part of the Health Happens in Libraries project. While the material is now dated, the themes and information in the infographic are still relevant. Last update 12/30/2025
Have you ever wondered how to start a conversation with colleagues, community partners or your library's board about why now is the time to take action on supporting community health? We've got your answer right here! WebJunction and our partners at ZeroDivide have published a shareable infographic about the essential role public libraries play in addressing equitable access to health information and resources.
We've titled it Library Heroes Make Health Happen as an homage to the amazing work happening in libraries around the country that goes above and beyond what many may still consider the "traditional" role of libraries.
Just as libraries are about more than books these days, health is about more than healthcare, and public libraries are perfect partners to address local health priorities. In fact, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a prominent philanthropy focused primarily on health, has identified public libraries specifically as drivers of social and economic factors of community health in their national Building a Culture of Health initiative.
Libraries have the information literacy expertise and community partnership potential that are critical to foster local cultures of health, and community health stakeholders are increasingly aware of this.
Full Infographic Image (JPG)
The following resources were used to create this infographic:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation. [2015]. Public Libraries for Health
- County Health Rankings. [2015]. What Works for Health
- Pew Research Center. [2015]. Libraries at the Crossroads
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. [2014]. Health Communication and Health Information Technology
- Berkman ND, DeWalt DA, Pignone MP, et al. [2004]. Literacy and Health Outcomes: Summary
- University of Maryland. [2015]. 2014 Digital Inclusion Survey: Survey Findings and Results
