Two libraries win EIFL-PLIP Innovation Award for contributing to community health

Two public libraries have won the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) award for contribution to community health. Congratulations and a prize of US$1,500 go to public libraries in Africa and Europe: 

First Aid trainees practice CPR on high tech dummies at a library in Romania.

• Hoima Public Library in Uganda, whose ‘Improving Community Health through ICT’ service provides free internet access and computer and online research training for health workers and other library users. In February 2012, just two years after the service was launched, a survey found a dramatic increase in health seeking behaviour among library users: over 38% more youth, 39% more men, and 29% more women were using the library to seek health information. The survey also found that over 20% more mothers who use the library now have mosquito nets in their homes and over half are sleeping under the nets regularly.
• ‘Gh. Asachi’ County Library Iași in Romania. The library’s First Aid Toolkit service provides First Aid training to people across Romania through a network of 86 libraries. The service is staffed by volunteers and works in partnership with the Red Cross, hospitals, and ambulance services. Over 90 librarians are now certified First Aid trainers and in just one year trained over 2,000 people to administer First Aid. The service also includes a website where people can learn First Aid skills online, keep up to date and download training materials.

The EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) PLIP Innovation Awards recognize public library services that use ICT to improve lives and livelihoods. The awards are open to all public and community libraries in developing and transition countries. Read more about the winners of this award and future awards.

Announcing EIFL-PLIP Innovation Award for libraries using ICT to promote social inclusion

EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) is offering a new award for library services using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to contribute to social inclusion in the community.

Many economic and social risk factors can lead to social exclusion, for example, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, poor health, disability, illiteracy, age, language and other cultural differences, addiction, racism and gender inequality. By taking the initiative to reach out to socially excluded groups, libraries can strengthen social cohesiveness.

The award, which includes a prize of US$1,500, is open to public and community libraries in developing and transition countries. The deadline for submitting applications is November 30, so start preparing your application now!

EIFL-PLIP is accepting applications in English, French, Russian and Spanish.

This is the third award in EIFL-PLIP’s series of four Innovation Awards for library services that improve lives. The aim of the awards is to share stories about the impact of innovative library services and to inspire other libraries to start similar services. Find out more about this award and for application details.