Cultivating a Community of Practice: Oklahoma's Health Information Specialists Program

From its infancy in 2013, the Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library's Health Information Specialists Program has grown substantially. The current proposal, as the title suggests, focuses on extending the early efforts of the Health Information Specialists Program, moving toward the creation of a sustained and thriving community of practice. With this purpose in mind, the current proposal reflects further expansion of the program, targeting individuals working public libraries, tribal libraries, and literacy initiatives. In addition, activities are included to engage health information specialists from the first three years of the program. Training opportunities outlined in this proposal include: 1. Fifteen, hands-on classes taught at public libraries in Norman, Stillwater, and Tulsa 2. Development and initial pilot of an online course focused on mobile apps/mobile health information 3. Consumer Health Continuing Education Day a series of three recorded webinars from the Medical Library Association focusing on consumer health 4. Five books discussions for consumers based on Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics 5. Presentation of a general consumer health information course for library staff in the Eastern Oklahoma District Library System EODLS based in Muskogee, OK. Through these activities, program participants can qualify for the Consumer Health Information Specialization CHIS through the Medical Library Association and earn CEUs that can be applied to the Public Librarian Certification Program managed by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.