Strengthen Your Health Literacy with Digital Resources from the IMLS

Help yourself and others find trustworthy health information.

Over the years, we have developed a deeper understanding of the human body, its functions, and the steps necessary to maintain good health. However, this information isn’t always easily accessible, which can lead some people to adopt unhealthy habits unknowingly. To address this gap in health knowledge, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has curated a digital collection of free health literacy resources. 

What Is Health Literacy?

Health literacy refers to the understanding of health information, along with the ability and willingness to learn more about it. While most people are familiar with basic health concepts such as diet, exercise, and sleep, the specifics can become a bit more complicated. Being health literate can help you navigate these complexities, whether by interpreting information on your own or knowing when to seek help from someone with expertise.

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Why Being Health Literate Matters

Simply put, health literacy is relevant for everyone—each person has health needs, regardless of their age or background. With so much complex medical jargon and outright misinformation floating around, it can sometimes be hard to understand what you’re reading, let alone determine whether or not it’s factual. Having lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, we all know from experience what a dangerous combination that can be.

The only way to combat misinformation and confusion is to encourage health literacy and make easy-to-understand, trustworthy information accessible to all. This is where the IMLS’s health literacy resources come in, helping the public keep up with relevant health-related information from the comfort of home.

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How to Access Free Health Literacy Resources

The IMLS’s health literacy resources are part of the organization’s information literacy initiative. Simply head to their health literacy page to read about various health-related subjects, such as the fight against medical misinformation, a battery of health literacy lesson plans, and information about the initiative to bring health literacy information to America’s public libraries. 

If you’d like to learn more about the resources the IMLS and public libraries provide to countless Americans, read other stories on our Public Libraries page today!

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries. 

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