Patrons frequently turn to libraries for help navigating health information. Join the authors of The Public Librarian's Guide to Answering Health Questions, alongside a public health expert and the director (a nurse) of an aging center, for a practical conversation about helping patrons find, evaluate, and use trustworthy health information. Through the combined perspectives of librarianship, public health, and aging services, participants will explore strategies, resources, and communication techniques that build confidence, promote health literacy, and strengthen the library's role as a trusted community partner.
Carolyn Martin, MLS, AHIP, is the Outreach and Education Coordinator with the Network of the National Library of Medicine Region 5 at the University of Washington Health Sciences Library. She works with organizations serving underserved populations, including rural communities and older adults. Previously, a public and hospital librarian, she brings direct experience supporting patients and the public. Martin provides training and resources on health information and health literacy with a focus on accessibility and helping communities become informed health consumers.
Bobbi Newman, is an Associate Professor of Practice at the School of Library and Information Science, where she teaches and is the Undergraduate to Graduate Program Coordinator. Her scholarship and practice are grounded in translating research on workplace well-being, leadership, and organizational culture into applied strategies for library and information environments. Bobbi's work is unified by a commitment to helping libraries and the library profession build the conditions under which both institutions and the people who sustain them can thrive.
Jen Jones is the Outreach, Education, and Programming Coordinator for the Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence at the University of Iowa. She leads community engagement initiatives that support the well‑being of older adults and their caregivers, drawing on her background in public health and collaborative program development. Jen’s work focuses on expanding access to resources, strengthening partnerships, and advancing education that enhances quality of life across aging communities.
Dr. Leah Buck, Sally Mathis Hartwig Professor in Gerontological Nursing in the University of Iowa College of Nursing, is also Director of the interprofessional Barbara and Richard Csomay Center of Gerontological Excellence at UI. Dr. Buck has over 30 years’ experience in cardiovascular nursing along the trajectory from prevention to hospice care. Her strong track record of funded research focuses on developing non-pharmacological solutions for the “wicked problems” older adults face in the community. Her substantive contributions have been acknowledged by national and international organizations by awarding her a Fellow of Palliative Care Nursing in palliative care, a Fellow of the American Heart Association in the cardiovascular science, a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America in gerontology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in nursing.