Public health is not just about vaccines, and public libraries are not just about books.
Both JCPH and the Mid-Continent Public Library address a wide variety of needs in our communities, from providing connections to local resources to creating opportunities for people to get involved in their own health and education.
That’s why we’re partnering with MCPL in recognition of our 100th anniversary this fall 2025. Through collaborative story time events, exhibits in library display cases, and reading lists recommended by JCPH staff, we’re encouraging new ways of thinking about how health and literacy intersect. At a time when it feels harder than ever to sort fact from fiction, we hope to illuminate a path forward.
Thank you to our Eastern Jackson County MCPL partner locations: Blue Springs North, Blue Springs South, Buckner, Colbern Road Library Center, East Lee’s Summit, Grain Valley, Grandview, Lee’s Summit, Lone Jack, Oak Grove, Raytown, South Independence, East Independence, North Independence
Community Heroes Story Time
Hear stories, sing songs, join in movement activities, and create memories with community heroes—in this case, public health heroes from JCPH! Come share an early literacy experience with the whole family and learn about how public health keeps us all safe. These programs are FREE and designed for children of all ages.
- Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 10am-10:30am at MCPL Buckner (19 E Jefferson St; Buckner, MO 64016)
- Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 10am-10:30am at MCPL Raytown (6131 Raytown Rd; Raytown, MO 64133)
- Tuesday, October 7, 2025 from 10:30am-11am at MCPL Grandview (12930 Booth Ln; Grandview, MO 64030)
Exhibit Displays
Our understanding of health has evolved over 100 years, but myths and misinformation persist. This September, visit any of our partner MCPL locations to explore a thought-provoking exhibit on health literacy.
How do we open our minds to new ideas and information? How do the systems and structures around us impact how we learn? How do you determine if something is fact or fiction? The display cases invite reflection on these questions and more. Plus, participate in our reading list challenge in MCPL’s catalog.
Reading Lists
Over the summer, our staff created a reading list challenge with books from MCPL’s catalog to introduce who we are and what public health means to us. A diverse range of health topics are represented, from mental wellness to maternal care to public health history and more. The reading list include books for a range of audiences, including kids, parents, casual readers, and research lovers. Each book features a note written by the JCPH staff member who recommended it.
Inspired by John Green’s Everything is Tuberculosis, our “Everything is Public Health” reading list is available at MCPL through September 2025. Click here to check it out!
100 Years of Health Literacy
Since 1925, JCPH has grown from a small rural health unit to a resource serving hundreds of thousands of residents across Eastern Jackson County.
You might visit us for anything from tests or screenings for common illnesses, to participating in a community conversation, to picking up fresh food for your home. Today, you’ll find our primary location in Lee’s Summit, but our work has always extended beyond the walls of our building. We build partnerships in neighborhoods across Jackson County to equip leaders with data and research about health policy issues, prepare for future health emergencies, and provide education and resources for healthy child care, harm reduction, and much more.
Explore more of our 100 Years campaign at jacohd.staging.tempurl.host/100-years.
