Academic Librarians Expanding Rural Information Access in the U.S. Midwest

Purpose: Small towns that dot the landscape of the Midwest USA are often hundreds of miles apart, have limited internet connectivity, and populations with lower socioeconomic status and poorer health than in urban areas. Open access for these areas requires action by libraries. Methods Through a partnership between the University of Missouri’s (MU’s) iSchool, MU’s J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), MidContinental Region, we are creating a network of practice across the Midwest that will develop a cohort of LIS students who will serve as Catalysts for Community Health. Results/Outcomes The network of practice should increase accessibility and health literacy for clinical practitioners, community-based organizations, and individuals in underserved and rural areas across the Midwestern United States. Conclusions/recommendations Progress and acceptance of a bottom-up approach to designing support has been successful so far.