MSU Extension Food and Health

Walk into a Michigan library today and you're likely to find a lot more than books. With help from MSU Extension, libraries across the state are becoming places where residents can learn about food safety and chronic conditions, practice mindfulness and even participate in tai chi.

Libraries are looking for ways to expand their role as community gathering places by offering residents new opportunities to learn, connect and access practical resources. That makes them a natural partner for MSU Extension. Over the last 20 months, MSU Extension has provided food and health education to 68 libraries, delivering 119 programs across 325 sessions and reaching more than 1,500 participants.

The relationship works both ways. Libraries help MSU Extension better understand community interests and needs while providing a trusted setting for educators to connect with residents.

Meeting a need in the community

At Dorr Township Library in rural Allegan County, partnering with MSU Extension helped fill a need the library had struggled to meet: finding a trusted partner to provide health programming.

“We were searching for partners to lead programming relating to chronic conditions and diseases,” said Reilly Brower, interim director of Dorr Township Library. “We had contacted a number of local hospitals and heard no reply. In our search, we found MSU’s Dining with Diabetes program.”

At Bay County Library System, Public Services Coordinator Emily Marsh said the relationship began with home food preservation classes before growing into a broader effort to offer health and wellness education.

“Our first partnerships were in the home food preservation space, but I hadn’t realized the depth of what MSU Extension had to offer,” Marsh said. “Now we are so happy to find so many great programs that were what we were looking for and beyond.”

MSU Extension’s variety of offerings has allowed the library to provide programs on food safety, food preservation, nutrition, mindfulness and physical activity.

From food preservation to new interests

At Shiawassee District Library’s Durand Memorial Branch, MSU Extension programming has helped the library expand its offerings while responding to popular and emerging interests in the community. Hands-on learning has been particularly popular, said Nancy Folaron, assistant director and branch manager. Patrons appreciated the opportunity to make sourdough starter to take home, while programs on fermentation have helped the library respond to community interest in these topics.

“Partnering with MSU Extension has allowed us to expand our programming and offer a wider range of topics that are educational yet include practical information our customers can use,” Folaron said.

For libraries, that practical, community-focused approach can also help build demand for recurring programs. MSU Extension health educator Liz Williams facilitates Tai Chi programs at Bay County Library System, where patrons have already begun asking when the program will return.

“We host Tai Chi every summer, and I have patrons asking me when it is coming back starting in the spring,” Marsh said. “Liz has cultivated a following here and is reaching some residents who haven’t patronized other library events.”

Building community through learning

Tanner Derror, an MSU Extension health educator who facilitates mindfulness programs at Butman-Fish Library among others, said the relationships that develop through these programs are one of the most meaningful parts of the work.

“I love working with my local library systems because they are natural places to connect community and engage in learning opportunities,” Derror said. “Through these partnerships I’ve been able to build a natural group of participants that regularly attend and support each other.”

For some participants, the lessons continue beyond the library.

One participant in MSU Extension’s Dining with Diabetes series said the classes changed the way they think about daily nutrition.

“I appreciated the class even though I don’t have diabetes,” the participant said. “It has made me think of what I plan to eat today. What veggies, fruits and fibers especially.”

MSU Extension’s mindfulness programming has generated similarly positive feedback. At Butman-Fish Library, patrons expressed appreciation for opportunities to focus on stress management and well-being.

“Our patrons were very happy and grateful to have attended,” said Carrie Pung, branch head at Butman-Fish Library. “Thank you for giving our patrons the opportunity to discover ways of better living.”

For Marsh, the value of the partnership with MSU Extension is also in the variety of ways it helps libraries respond to what their communities need.

“In a world that keeps moving more digital and sedentary, the offerings from MSU Extension have brought movement and mindfulness to our library programming schedule,” Marsh said.

Together, MSU Extension and local libraries are bringing trusted, evidence-based health education closer to home, giving Michigan residents more opportunities to learn, connect and build healthier habits, one library at a time.