IC2 Case Study

Challenge

How might we both leverage libraries as integral components of the healthcare continuum and secure the additional support necessary for this transformation?

Context

Libraries have evolved beyond traditional roles, now serving as critical community hubs for health and wellness. While libraries are increasingly called upon to address the health and social needs of their communities, they often lack the resources, support, and funding to meet these demands. Many librarians feel overwhelmed and underprepared to fulfill these roles, while library infrastructure remains insufficient for the scope of services required.

In collaboration with IC² at the University of Texas, the design team explored how libraries can meet growing demands for health services, particularly in underserved areas. Their focus included libraries in Texas and Louisiana, where they researched the potential for these spaces to support mental health, telehealth, and social services.

Side-by-side maps of Texas comparing the distribution of critical access hospitals and libraries. The left map highlights 83 counties with critical access hospital (CAH) facilities in light blue, with hospital names labeled. The right map shows over 500 libraries marked by yellow dots across the state, with a high density in the eastern half of Texas. Ask ChatGPT

Slide titled “Can Libraries Play the Role of Wellness Hubs?” featuring three icons and corresponding questions. Left icon is a light blue medical star with text: “How Might We… Establish the place of libraries on the healthcare continuum?” Center icon is a government building with text: “How Might We… Identify and unlock sources of capital/funding?” Right icon is a magnifying glass with text: “How Might We… Assess and drive readiness to innovate among libraries and librarians?”

Approach

The design team conducted in-depth interviews with librarians, mental health professionals, and experts in the field, while also observing library operations in various urban and rural locations. They examined how libraries are currently used for health services such as telehealth and community support programs, comparing differences in resource availability.

Additionally, they developed prototypes to address the gaps they identified, including platforms for collaboration among librarians and tools to demonstrate the value of library services.

Slide titled “Research Overview” with a blue map of Texas and Louisiana highlighting interview locations including Pottsboro, Georgetown, Round Rock, Austin, Del Valle, Smithville, Livingston, and New Orleans. Text on the left lists research activities: 16 in-depth interviews, 12 intercepts, and 18 hours of observation. It also lists participant roles: urban and rural librarians, UX librarians, reference and instruction librarians, engineering librarians, social workers, tech specialists, library futurists,

Insights

Librarians as Health and Social Care Providers: Librarians often take on informal caregiving roles, providing critical health-related support even though they lack formal training and resources.
Barriers to Health Services: Libraries face significant barriers, including inadequate funding, insufficient training, and limited digital infrastructure, preventing them from effectively providing the health services their communities need.
Community Trust: Libraries are trusted, safe spaces where people seek support for sensitive issues, such as mental health, without the stigma they might face in other settings.
Underfunding Across Contexts: Both rural and urban libraries face funding challenges, dispelling the assumption that urban libraries are better resourced.

Four presenters stand at the front of a lecture hall speaking to an audience, with a large slide projected behind them. The slide is titled “Our Findings” and highlights Insight 3: Librarians have a tremendous amount of trust from members of the community, so much so that patrons are coming to librarians with needs that they don’t traditionally fulfill. Three speech bubbles on the right quote interviewees discussing librarians' trustworthiness and their role in healthcare information. Audience members are s

Solutions

The design team proposed several solutions to address these gaps and challenges, including:

Librarian’s Compass: A platform that connects librarians to share solutions and support community health needs
Value Calculator: A tool to quantify the social and financial impact of libraries, helping them justify increased funding and resources
Library Health Card: A concept allowing patrons to store emergency health information on their library cards, accessible in medical emergencies

This diverse set of solutions positions libraries as integral parts of the healthcare continuum, equipped to meet the evolving needs of their communities.

Librarian’s Compass

Screenshot of the Librarians Compass platform homepage. On the left, a map of Texas is shown with several location pins. One pin is selected, revealing a pop-up for “Johnston Library” with a focus on food poverty and writing grants and funding. A large button below reads “Learn More.” On the right, a search prompt asks, “Where is your library located?” with a text field and a dark blue “Submit” button. The headline above reads, “Wayfinding a brighter future for libraries.” The navigation bar at the top incl

Value Calculator

A person holds a smartphone displaying a savings dashboard app. The screen shows a large total—$103,767—labeled “Total Money Saved for 2023 Year to Date.” Below that are statistics including “56 Patrons Helped This Month,” individual service savings for food insecurity and telehealth, and percentage changes. The phone is held in front of a blurred background featuring a computer monitor, stack of papers, and a vase of light pink roses. The interface uses a clean, minimal design with black, blue, and red typ

Three side-by-side smartphone screens display a library value calculator interface. The first screen shows a savings summary with "$103,767" saved in 2023 and 56 patrons helped this month. The second screen displays daily savings for April 29th, 2023, with a tall purple-blue bar labeled "$423.67." The third screen shows a line graph comparing library performance from June 18–25, highlighting Pottsboro Library with $459.23 and Austin Public Library with $2049.95. The design is clean and minimalist, using sof

Library Health Card

A conceptual slide about library cards as access points for medical information. The left side reads: “People struggle to gain access to their medical information. How can Libraries help bridge the gap?” It outlines a timeline: Today – Emergency Card, Near Future – Medical Record Card, Far Future – Library as Medical Record Hub. On the right, a mockup of a "Library Card" with a cityscape background, barcode, and the name "Sandra Bradley" is shown. A "Health Records" icon with a wireless symbol is displayed

Seven people stand side by side in front of a projection screen, smiling for a group photo in a professional setting. They are dressed in business casual attire and appear to be a mix of presenters, faculty, and team members at a design or tech event. The environment suggests a conference room or lecture space with wood paneling and a visible speaker in the background.

Learn More

Find out more about The IC² Institute.

Design Team

Sandra Bradley

Jesse Davison

Sam Kinard

Evan Stack

Project Summary

Amid growing demands for community health support, students explored how libraries—especially in underserved areas—can serve as trusted, non-clinical well-being hubs. Partnering with UT’s IC² Institute, they proposed scalable tools and strategies to help librarians support the delivery of health services, measure impact, and advocate for vital funding.

Project Contributors

The IC² Institute