Madison Public Library, Wisconsin Book Festival and ‘All of Us’ Research Program at UW-Madison to present community health event series

Madison Public Library, the Wisconsin Book Festival and the All of Us Research Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are joining forces to present a virtual author event series focused on a range of community health issues.

“At a time when health and health disparities have been at the forefront of a national conversation, we are pleased to partner with the All of Us Research Program at UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Book Festival to bring important conversations about health care access to our community,” said Annie Weatherby-Flowers, Community Engagement Coordinator for Madison Public Library. “By learning more about the challenges and the data, we can work together as a community to educate others and effect change for those affected most.”

The series, titled “New Chapters in Community Health: Healthier Communities for All of Us”, will include four virtual author events featuring compelling stories and engaging discussion about important health issues. The events, which are free and open to the public, will especially focus on issues impacting those who are often underrepresented in health research, such as Black, Latinx, 65+ and rural communities. 100 free copies of each book will be available for attendees.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Madison Public Library and the Wisconsin Book Festival for this event series,” said Dr. Dorothy Farrar-Edwards, co-principal investigator, All of Us – UW-Madison. “During this time of COVID, it’s especially important to keep the discussion going as to why various health conditions have disproportionately affected some communities over others. Educational events like these help move the Madison Public Library, the Wisconsin Book Festival and the All of Us program closer to our shared mission of a healthier future for all of us.”

The first event will take place Tuesday, March 30 at 7 pm (CST) and will feature author Brian Alexander and his book, The Hospital: Life, Death, and Dollars in a Small American Town, which examines a small-town, rural hospital’s struggle for survival, as well as the patients who utilize its services.

Register to attend The Hospital … 

The second event will take place Tuesday, April 27 at 7 pm (CST) and will feature author Angela Garbes and her book, Like A Mother: A Feminist Journey through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy. In Like A Mother, Garbes provides a rigorously researched and compelling look at the physiology, biology and psychology of pregnancy and motherhood, informed by in-depth reportage and personal experience.

Register to attend Like A Mother …

 The third event will take place Monday, May 24 at 7 pm (CST) and will feature author Jason Karlawish and his book The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. In The Problem of Alzheimer’s, Karlawish traces Alzheimer’s from its beginnings to its recognition as a crisis; tells the story of the biomedical breakthroughs that may allow Alzheimer’s to finally be prevented and treated by medicine; and presents an argument for how we can live with dementia.

One additional author event will be announced soon and will take place this spring. Madison Public Library’s Community Engagement team will offer additional virtual programming, pulling in health experts, business owners and other key community leaders to continue the discussion or expand on other health-related topics.

For more information about “New Chapters in Community Health” Events and upcoming events, please visit: madisonpubliclibrary.org/new-chapters

About Madison Public Library
Madison Public Library’s tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for more than 140 years.  Visit the library online at madisonpubliclibrary.org, @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook, @madisonlibrary on Twitter, or @madisonpubliclibrary on Instagram.

About the Wisconsin Book Festival
The Wisconsin Book Festival presents hundreds of national and local authors throughout the year, through its multi-day literary festival each fall and year-round event series. Founded by the Wisconsin Humanities Council in 2002, responsibility for the festival was assumed by Madison Public Library and its Foundation in 2013.  Follow the festival on the web at wisconsinbookfestival.org, Wisconsin Book Festival on Facebook, @wibookfestival on Twitter, or @wibookfest on Instagram.

About the All of Us Research Program at UW-Madison
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is actively engaged in recruiting and enrolling participants in the All of Us Research Program, an historic health research effort. The mission of the All of Us program is to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, enabling individualized prevention, treatment and care for all of us. The program seeks one million or more people across the United States to build the most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind, to help researchers gain better insights into the biological, environmental and behavioral factors that influence health. For more information or to participate, please visit AllofUs.wisc.edu, AllofusBadgers on Facebook, or @allofusbadgers on Twitter and Instagram.