Susan Baier, Executive Director of the Allen County Public Library, leverages her experience to make vaccines more accessible in our community.
Susan Baier, Executive Director of the Allen County Public Library, leverages her experience to make vaccines more accessible in our community.
Fort Wayne, Indiana (September 20, 2021) – “Since 2014, I have been involved in facilitating collaborations between public libraries and health care agencies to make vaccines more accessible and easily available in high need communities.
When I was working for Los Angeles County Library System, I learned that our local health department wanted to look for new ways to ensure senior citizens, children, teenagers, immigrant families, and people with compromised immune systems had access to flu shots. Their target audiences intersected perfectly with groups who use the library, and a partnership was born. Libraries have the benefit of being trusted community connectors that are welcoming to all. It makes sense to bring preventative health services like immunizations directly to where the people who need them gather. Though I left employment in Los Angeles County at the end of 2016, the flu shot clinic partnership lives on at their library system and thousands of adults, seniors, teens, and children get their no-cost flu shot at a Los Angeles County Library each year.
When I started as director of McCracken County Public Library in Kentucky in 2017, although the landscape was dramatically different than Los Angeles the need for easy access to vaccinations for the entire family was still there. I reached out to a local hospital system, and their mission for outreach perfectly intersected with the library’s desire to be a strong community partner in advocating for health. So, we entered a successful multi-year partnership. We had to get creative during 2020 and COVID 19, and our typical meeting room flu shot clinic evolved into outdoor flu shots under a huge tent in the parking lot along with a drive-through COVID testing site.
Libraries can play a vital part in a community’s health and welfare. It makes perfect sense to leverage the assets of the library – welcoming facilities, friendly staff, trusted community connector – to partner with agencies like Super Shot to improve public health outcomes.” – Susan Baier, Executive Director for the Allen County Public Library
“I think it’s just fantastic that Susan is bringing her success and experience in creating greater access to immunizations through library systems to Allen County. The library is a trusted and convenient location for families and people of all ages and we hope this will be the start of something much bigger.” – Connie Heflin, Executive Director, Super Shot
Super Shot is partnering with Allen County Public Library to provide flu vaccines to people 6 months of
age and older, and Covid-19 vaccines to those 12 years old and older at the following locations:
- Friday, September 24, 2021, 2 – 5 p.m. at the Main Branch
- Friday, October 1, 2021, 2 – 5 p.m. at the Pontiac Branch
- Friday, October 8, 2021, 2 – 5 p.m. at the Shawnee Branch
The first 50 people who receive a vaccine at each event will receive a $10 Kroger gift card. (1 per person) Super Shot will be providing the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine and both injectable and nasal spray flu vaccines. There is no cost, but everyone must present their insurance card if insured and ID. All children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Spanish and Burmese interpreters will be available, and no appointment is needed.
Super Shot, Inc. is a local non-profit that promotes vaccination and provides access to immunizations community-wide. Since 1993, Super Shot has been breaking down the barriers of vaccinations – access and cost – and increasing awareness of the importance of vaccination. For more information, please call (260) 424-SHOT (7468), or view the Super Shot clinic schedules at supershot.org.
Return to the AroundFortWayne home page.
Related Images:
