On Monday, March 11, I had the privilege of attending and presenting at the LAUNC-CH Conference held in the Pleasants Family Assembly Room of the Wilson Special Collections Library at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This year, the conference adopted a different format than I recall from previous years. Rather than navigating many rooms for various talks and presentations, the conference featured a day-long series of back-to-back lightning talks, all hosted within the same space.

These lightning talks covered a wide range of topics. My own talk titled, “Nurturing Minds and Bodies: The Innovative Wellness Collection in Libraries,” provided a brief look into our Wellness Collection. I shared insights into the development of the Wellness Collection and offered advice and what we have learned so far for libraries considering the implementation of similar wellness collections or initiatives.

Many of the day’s lightning talks were fascinating, however, two particularly stood out to me: Sharon Taylor’s “Student Project Kits” from Appalachian State University and “From Gowns to Towns” by Karen Stanley Grigg and Terri Ottosen of UNC-Chapel Hill.

Sharon Taylor described a project she’s begun at Appalachian State University’s library where she has been assembling “Student Project Kits.” These kits are boxes filled with markers, pencils, paper, and other highly sought-after ‘office supply’ type items based on student requests at the library services desk. She designed these kits to facilitate students’ coursework and projects, specifically aiding those who are underprivileged or from lower-income backgrounds. Sharon said that by making essential materials available for checkout, she hoped to level the playing field for all students.

“From Gowns to Towns,” presented by Karen Stanley Grigg, the Health Sciences Librarian for Collections and Instruction at UNC Chapel Hill, detailed a project aimed at enhancing health literacy among rural older adults and their caregivers. By extending educational programs beyond the university, she described her project as addressing a crucial need within a segment of the population that she argued is often neglected in the digital era. Karen’s talk highlighted the extensive community engagement and delicate approach required to successfully deliver health literacy skills and navigate the sensitive issues surrounding health and personal information.

The entire day of lightning talks at the LAUNC-CH Conference was enlightening and I am thrilled I had the opportunity to attend and to share ZSR’s initiative regarding Wellness!