Academic–Public Library Health Collaborations: Supporting Sustainability for Community Health

This chapter reviews academic–public library collaborations focused on developing and implementing community health initiatives published in academic journals between 2014 and 2024 to determine how they support the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The author further analyzes these collaborations to identify how they meet the collective impact criteria outlined by Kania and Kremer (2011). The nine academic–public library collaborations identified by this research have each been reviewed, analyzed, and categorized based on their consumer health program criteria as related to the SDGs (United Nations, 2015) to determine the specific goals and targets that are supported. The community impact of these partnerships is identified by the type of collaboration and by examining how the partnerships meet the five conditions of collective success (Kania & Kramer, 2011, p. 39). Implications for future partnerships are also discussed.