The roles, services, and impact of libraries in rural health: A scoping review

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map and describe the existing literature on how libraries, librarians, and library staff influence, support, or contribute rural health outcomes, health knowledge, health services, and overall community well-being in rural settings. Introduction: Libraries can play an important role in supporting community health by serving as trusted partners through initiatives such as summer meal programs, health literacy education, and telehealth access. In rural communities, where healthcare access and resources may be limited, libraries may serve as critical partners. This review seeks to synthesize the evidence on the roles of libraries within the context of rural health. Inclusion criteria: This review will include literature addressing libraries, librarians, and library staff in the United States that are engaged in rural health-related activities, including but not limited to: interventions, services, programs, and partnerships. Methods: A comprehensive search will be conducted in five databases: MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and ERIC as well as grey literature sources such as Google Scholar and relevant conference abstracts. Searches will be limited to English-language publications only. Keywords: librarians; rural health; community health