FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IMLS Press Contact
202-653-4799
Giuliana Bullard, gbullard@imls.gov
ALA Press Contact
202-628-8410
Jazzy Wright, jwright@alawash.org
Washington, DC -- With the enrollment for the Affordable Care Act beginning on October 1, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and ALA announce new resources available to libraries.
An IMLS cooperative agreement with OCLC’s WebJunction will result in online educational webinars, tip sheets, and other resources to help library staff members respond to increased patron information needs related to the Health Insurance Marketplace.These resources include:
- Sign-up opportunity for anyone interested in receiving project activity updates, new online resources, webinar registrations, and archived webinar recordings from WebJunction: http://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/ehealth/get-involved.html
- FAQs for library staff with more information about WebJunction resources and the Health Insurance Marketplace: http://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/ehealth/more-info.html
- The link to the primary U.S. government online tool for delivering information to Americans about their healthcare options: http://healthcare.gov
- Info widgets for library websites, which will lead users directly to U.S. government info: http://marketplace.cms.gov/getofficialresources/widgets-and-badges/mp-badges-english.html for English and http://marketplace.cms.gov/getofficialresources/widgets-and-badges/mp-badges-spanish.html for Spanish.
American Library Association (ALA) President Barbara Stripling and IMLS Director Susan Hildreth issued the following joint statement:
“Providing resources that help librarians answer patron requests for health insurance information furthers the long-standing commitment of both IMLS and ALA to make information more widely available to the public. We are delighted to help connect libraries to these resources so they can provide timely information to their customers.
“While libraries provide information in a way that best suits their own communities, IMLS and ALA stand ready to help all libraries prepare for the anticipated increased demand for health-related information.”
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world,with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.