Sept 13-15: ARSL – Physical Activity Programs for Fun and for Health

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, rural communities need to do more to encourage and enable active living. Public libraries are the perfect venues for this activity! Come to this session to hear from librarians offering programs that get their communities moving. Leave with inspiration to create programs in your community. Programs described in this session include: Yoga, outdoor story times, Nerf games, Music and Movement, and circulating sports kits and bicycles. Each librarian will present a brief presentation, sharing why their libraries started these programs, including who directs them, partnerships, challenges addressed, and the impact of the programs. This session will conclude with 20 minutes of moderated discussion with presenters and audience members about what they have done. Audience members will receive a handout with more information on how rural and small public libraries can develop programs to encourage and enable physical activity.

Presentation materials:

Video of Holly Jackson’s presentation (pre-recorded)

Slides of Noah Lenstra’s presentation (large file)

Slides of Ashley Batchelder’s presentation / Songs for ARSL (examples you can use at your library for Music and Movement programs)

Presenters include:

Ashley Batchelder, Assistant children’s librarian, Mt. Zion District Library, Illinois

Holly Jackson, Director, Portneuf District Library, Chubbuck, Idaho

Moderator: Dr. Noah Lenstra, Assistant Professor of LIS, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Image courtesy Active Living Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.