Staff at the Health Sciences Libraries will be working hard while having fun at the Minnesota State Fair, August 22 – September 7.

Join us as we research health literacy, explore odd and sometimes frightening medical artifacts of the past, share good health information, and test medical knowledge with our health fact or fiction quiz.

What: What was this used for? stage show
Who: Lois Hendrickson and Christopher Herzberg, Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine
When: August 27, 2015, 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.
Where: Academic Health Center stage in front of the University of Minnesota building

Weird, clever, frightening, and confounding medical instruments from the past intrigue us, even more when we realize such instruments may still be in use today. Find out more in the “What was this used for?” stage show as audience panelists attempt to identify historical medical artifacts from the Wangensteen Historical Library’s collection. 

What: Can you crack the health care code
Who: Caitlin Bakker and Jonathan Koffel,  Bio-Medical Library
When: August 27, 29 and September 1, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Driven to Discover Building

Don’t miss the chance to be part of a research study. The Bio-Medical Library will be conducting research on health literacy, a patient’s ability to make sense of health information and instructions they receive from providers or find online. The study aims to benchmark the health literacy of Minnesotans and looks at specific aspects of health literacy, such as completing basic calculations or extracting information from graphs and charts. Participants will receive a UMN drawstring backpack.

What: Health Sciences Libraries outreach exhibit 
Who: Katherine Chew, Bio-Medical Library
When: August 28, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: UofM Central Bldg. (formerly known as the U of M Education Bldg.)

Visit our exhibit to learn how to find good health information online. The exhibit will feature information from the National Library of Medicine and the Bio-Medical Library. Test your health knowledge by trying our health fact or fiction quiz, or identifying the use for old medical devices. Small giveaways will be provided.