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Physical and social health at the library: Studying small and rural public libraries as venues for group fitness among older adults
Author(s) -
Lenstra Noah,
Oguz Fatih
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
proceedings of the association for information science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.193
H-Index - 14
ISSN - 2373-9231
DOI - 10.1002/pra2.211
Subject(s) - gerontology , variety (cybernetics) , promotion (chess) , health promotion , public health , physical activity , healthy aging , mental health , psychology , medicine , political science , nursing , psychiatry , physical therapy , artificial intelligence , politics , computer science , law
Public libraries increasingly offer opportunities to engage in health promotion activities inaccessible elsewhere in the community. Strategies to support physical activity for older adults can be implemented in a variety of different settings, including public libraries. Nonetheless, despite increasing recognition of this role, this trend has received limited scholarly attention. This study reports on a proof of concept study that took place across 12 weeks in 49 small and rural public libraries across the US. During that time, 535 older adults participated in a video‐based exercise program at the library. Participants reported increased levels of physical activity and increased mental health as a result of the availability of this program. These preliminary results demonstrate that public libraries have great potential as partners in efforts to increase healthy lifestyles among Americans, particular older adults, who represent a growing demographic in the U.S. and around the world.