Promotion at Health Fairs
Ideas for Promoting you service at Community Health Fairs
I like to bring a sample of our book collection. In order to bring their attention to the books its fun to run a guessing game, like a bean count. For example ask, "How many drugs are listed in the PDR?". Or, bring an anatomy/physiology book and ask about the number of bones or muscles, miles of blood vessels, heart beats per day, and/or feet in the small intestine. You may come up with some more meaningful "trivia". After guessing they may look up the answer in the book. Have fun!
Janet Hintz, MS, CHES
Health Educator
Graese Health Library
Orlando Regional Healthcare
One year we had a couple of internet connections set up and we had a banner that said "Safe Surfin'". We talked with individuals about safety tips to keep in mind when looking for health information. We gave a hand-out with this information and also a list of our staff's recommended health Web sites for different health topics. Of course, we let them search, too! You can tweak this set-up by offering a quick, hands-on session to those new to searching. So, the focus would be something on the order of: "New to Surfin? Try it here!" Then have a tip sheet for getting started, safety tips and your recommended list of Web sites. Make sure you plaster your library name and contact information over every hand-out.
You can also play off of the "@your campaign" of the American Library Association with a healthinformation@yourlibrary or herbalinformation@yourlibrary theme - whatever you want to feature and then SHOW them what you have on the topic.
Have fun. I think I'm part of a small minority, but I really enjoy our annual health fair!
Michele Spatz, M. S.
Planetree Health Resource Center
200 E. 4th St.
The Dalles, OR 97058
(phone) 541-296-8444
(fax) 541-296-6054
micheles@mcmc.net
Things I have seen done or have done myself with children-- have a stethoscope and let people listen (wipe the earpieces between uses), have Rorschach or optical illusion images and talk to people about what they see (and why/how), ask people where their kidneys (liver/spleen/duodenum) are and then show them on an anatomical chart, measure kids on a give-away growth chart, get a book on health activities (health education books for kids like Head to Toe Science or Healthy Me!) for more ideas on ways to challenge kids. A lot depends on how the fair is set up, but even something simple like how to check your own pulse can interest people. An eye chart or color vision chart, or a chance to try on glasses that turn images upside down will usually engage people. Just choose one or two activities to be done at your booth, and maybe one or two more on a handout with your contact information on it.
Brenda R. Pfannenstiel, MALS, MA
Coordinator
Kreamer Family Resource Center
Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics
2401 Gillham Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
bpfannenstiel@cmh.edu