ILA Noon Network: Train the Digital Health Literacy Trainer: Library and Community Partnership

Eastern Illinois University’s Booth Library partnered with faculty from the Department of Public Health & Nutrition and the Health Communication program to build a train the trainer program for digital health literacy. Partners that participated included public libraries, a community college, and LGBTQ organizations. A Public Library Collaboration from the Network of the National Library of Medicine Region 6 funded the program. The award provided salaries for two digital health literacy coordinators. Coordinators interviewed staff at area libraries and LGBTQ+ groups to produce training specific to their needs. Training videos and a website were developed and disseminated to partners. By training librarians and LGBTQ advocates to provide digital health literacy training the project has longer and wider impact than direct training. Training videos are available at https://eiu.libguides.com/dighealthlit . This webinar discuses the train the trainer program as well as highlights key points that include hiring project staff to shift the burden of work off of partners, having experts in both libraries and public health on the team, interviewing interview partners to determine their needs, and hiring a consultant to review for cultural sensitivity and appropriate language.