Empowering Communities Through Digital Health Literacy: The Role of Medical and Community Librarians

Librarians are at the forefront of ensuring equitable access to information, making them critical allies in addressing the growing need for digital health literacy (DHL). This session highlights how medical and community librarians can play a transformative role in empowering individuals and communities to navigate digital health tools effectively. Participants will explore strategies to support patrons in using telehealth, patient portals, and online health resources while addressing common barriers like low literacy, limited access to technology, and privacy concerns.

Real-world case studies will illustrate how libraries have implemented successful digital literacy programs, such as one-on-one navigator sessions, group workshops, and partnerships with local healthcare providers. Attendees will leave with practical tools and ideas to design tailored digital health literacy programs that meet the unique needs of their communities. The session will also emphasize the importance of librarians as advocates for equitable access to digital health tools and resources. 

Speaker Bio:

Stan Hudson is director of professional development and training for the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA). He is a health literacy expert with 30 years of experience in health services research and more than 15 years in health literacy with a focus on health equity. For the past 5 years, he has been working on addressing digital health literacy needs, including organizational assessment and teaching professionals how to help people find reliable health information online, use telehealth, and access their patient portals to connect to providers and health information.

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