NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A federal grant will help the Niagara Falls Public Library (NFPL) start a program that aims to increase access to telehealth resources.
The National Institutes of Health’s Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) All of Us National Program has awarded the library a $28,937 grant that will help create private booths for people to conduct telehealth appointments.
The NFPL Create Your Healthy Life project aims to provide more community members access to telehealth resources. The library has seen the need for these resources over the past few years, but the COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted the importance of telehealth resources.
According to recent U.S. Census data, about 20% of City of Niagara Falls residents reported not owning a computer and close to 30% reported not having access to internet.
“In such a time where remote work and appointments are becoming the norm, this grant will allow the Niagara Falls Public Library to provide a lifeline to residents,” Mayor Robert Restaino said. “By providing a secure and confidential area for residents to access telehealth, we are giving them the ability to truly take control of their health care and that of their families.”
Two sound-dampening booths will be installed on the first floor computer area of the library with computers and microphones. One booth will be designed for a single person and other can occupy two people.
“We are grateful to NLM for funding this impactful opportunity,” said Sarah Potwin, executive director of Niagara Falls Public Library. “It is projected that this partnership will result in several measurable benefits. Not only will Niagara Falls citizens have access to health research, but they will also be able to engage in telecommunication such as a Zoom or Webex session with a degree of privacy. Our partnership is doing what libraries do: filling the role of community empowerment engine. We aim to build our citizens up by giving access to betterment."
The award also includes a one-year subscription to the online health database Gale Health and Wellness, which provides access to medical journals, magazines, reference works, and multimedia resources.
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