Ashe County Public Library receives recognition award from i2i Center for Integrative Health

Laura McPherson, Adult Services Manager,
 with i2i award.

While keeping abreast of health concerns in the ‘Year of Covid’, we became aware of i2i (insight to innovation) Center of Integrative Health’s work to provide support for a comprehensive system of whole person care.  This non-profit organization is based in Cary, NC but reaches across the state to provide trainings, resources, and make connections with community health providers. 

Libraries play an integral part in health of individuals and the community as a whole.  At Ashe County Public Library, we partner with many local organizations and collaborate with leaders in the community about ways to provide wellness services that are designed to meet a variety of needs.  Our programming has featured eating healthy, suicide prevention, stories of recovery and hope, compassion and the ‘power of giving.’  This year we highlighted the national conversation about racial equality, and justice with a series of programs entitled “Talking About Race in Life and Literature.”   These programs provided a voice for people to communicate, advocate, and inform each other on these issues.

This year i2i issued a 2020 Innovation Awareness Challenge to recognize innovation in services and programming given 2020’s challenges of a pandemic, and the need for systemic response towards social injustice.  It was an honor to be chosen for this award, with programming centered on Race in Life and Literature, and to be recognized at their virtual conference.  The books we read, and the conversations we had, highlighted race, ethnicity, social injustices surrounding incarceration, and how to be a good ancestor.  This award reminds us that conversations like these should continue.  Check out our program guide for archived events and visit the library for books on these topics. It is important to affirm the dignity and value of black lives and black people.