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American Heart Association provides community blood pressure kits, monitors to Volusia County Public Library
Library patrons can borrow kits as part of new “Libraries with Heart Initiative” program
Patrons who visit Volusia County Public Library can now borrow kits to monitor their blood pressure at home in the same way they can check out a book. Volusia County Public Library is home to the American Heart Association’s first “Libraries with Heart Initiative” program in Volusia County.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this free service to our patrons,” said Barry KuKes, Marketing Specialist with Volusia County Public Library. “Our goal is to equip community members with resources to deepen their health understanding and inspire positive life changes.”
Each kit includes a blood pressure monitor, American Heart Association guided materials on how to properly measure blood pressure at home, and an explanation of what those blood pressure numbers mean. The Libraries with Heart Initiative program will begin in September 2025.
Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and more. These poor health outcomes can potentially be avoided if hypertension is managed. Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have high blood pressure, and the use of a blood pressure monitor might be difficult because of cost or lack of access. “Libraries with Heart Initiative” aims to improve the health of local communities by making these resources readily available for free for those who need them.
“Our mission centers on ensuring everyone has the opportunity to lead a long, healthy life,” said Sonya Vezmar, vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association. “Through initiatives like ‘Libraries with Heart,’ we work to remove obstacles to healthcare access, empowering people to prioritize their health.”
High blood pressure is commonly known as the “silent killer” because as many as 36% of patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure are not aware of their condition. People with elevated blood pressure are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition. Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered within the normal range. If your results fall into this category, stick with heart-healthy habits like following a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.
To learn more about blood pressure and how you can keep yours in check, visit www.heart.org/bloodpressure.
The Fall 2025 newsletter focuses on available library programs, success stories, a spotlight interview with one of the library staff members, a calendar of upcoming special events, branch news, and more.
Raising Readers Reading Challenge – Raising Readers Reading Challenge is a self-paced, long range literacy challenge, for children in grades 3-5, that cultivates growing reading skills during a critical stage in a child’s literacy journey – when they progress from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Through a collection of age-appropriate short articles, children will be encouraged to read at their own pace – building confidence, comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading. These brief non-fiction articles offer children a glimpse into the wonders of the animal kingdom and the marvels of the natural world. From crawling critters to surprising sea creatures, each article sparks a kernel of curiosity, builds vocabulary, and helps children practice their newly developed reading skills. By registering for this program, caregivers can help their child(ren) practice, log, and track their reading and activity progress. Register online or by visiting any VCPL branch. After registering, starter kits can be picked up at any branch.
Register online, at https://volusialibrary.beanstack.org/reader365. After registering, starter kits can be picked up at any branch.
Freading
Freading's specialty is non-fiction - over 200,000 titles and every title is always available so no need to make a reservation. A very handy tool for students who are researching a topic and need immediate information.
https://volusialibrary.freading.com
Tutorial on how to use Freading.
Volusia Reads: Adult Online Book Club
Volusia County Public Library has partnered with PBC Guru and Freading to create a virtual book club for library users and the community.
It's always available for download from Freading.