MUSKEGON, Mich. — Several Muskegon Area District Library (MADL) locations are now offering free blood pressure kits to patrons in partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA).
WATCH: Muskegon area libraries now offering free blood pressure kits through AHA partnership
Library patrons can access two types of kits: stationary ones for in-library use and take-home versions that can be checked out with a library card.
"When people think of the library, they still think of like, oh, it's quiet and there's books, but we're not really very quiet anymore, and we have so much more than books," said Jackie Endres, MADL Marketing Manager.
Endres explains the blood pressure kits include educational materials about heart health, including information about healthy blood pressure ranges, tips for lowering blood pressure, and guidance on when to seek medical attention.
“They are at five of our locations, and then they will be moving quarterly," Endres said. "So for our locations that don't have one right now, they will be making their way to them eventually.”
The initiative is fully funded by the AHA and represents an expansion of health resources available in MADL's "Library of Things," which Endres describes as "...a catalog of unusual, non-traditional library materials.”
"We've just gotten ours out on the shelf in the last month, so they are fresh, brand new, but we're really excited to see the impact that this has on the community, to just be able to offer these resources," Endres said.
The partnership with the AHA began when MADL was exploring ways to fund AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) for all library locations. Through this collaboration, the libraries will now have both AEDs and blood pressure kits available.
This health initiative continues as MADL prepares for a vote on August 5th regarding the potential renewal and increase of the library district's 10-year operational millage.
WATCH: Upcoming vote on Muskegon library millage would continue funding children's programs, expand services
With the proposed 2026 to 2036 millage, MADL would be able to further expand their hours, services, and resources.
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