Check Out Your Blood Pressure at the Preston Library

When most people think of the library, they think of checking out books or movies. Medical equipment generally doesn’t make the list of options. But recently, the Preston Public Library joined the American Heart Association’s Libraries with Heart initiative, which means that patrons can now check out blood pressure kits from the library or check their blood pressure during a visit to the library.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly 120 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure, which is about half of all American adults. Around 13 million of those don’t know even know they have it. With high blood pressure being a top cause for heart disease and stroke, being aware of it can save your life. Many times, there are no symptoms that a person has high blood pressure, so it is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Having access to a blood pressure machine can make all the difference in someone’s health.

When the staff at the Preston library first heard of the grant opportunity from the American Heart Association, it was on the last day that applications were being accepted so they hurried to fill it out and send it in. Just a few weeks later, they received an email informing them that after intense competition and a difficult decision-making process, the Preston Public Library had been awarded a $400 American Heart Association grant to establish a Community Hypertension Hub.

Visitors to the Preston library can use the Blood Pressure Station in the library to check their blood pressure. The librarians can assist with using the machine but are not able to give medical advice. Patrons can also check out one of three blood pressure kits to take home. Each kit includes a monitor, three different size cuffs, a tape measure to determine your cuff size, an oxygen monitor, and a booklet with information on how to take your blood pressure, tips for managing and tracking it, ways to lower your blood pressure, and a list of area clinics and resources. The kits can be checked out for two weeks with the option to renew. Each blood pressure cuff has been validated by the American Heart Association to ensure that readings are accurate.

Access to blood pressure machines can be a challenge especially in rural areas such as Fillmore County due to lack of transportation, a lack of health insurance, and more. The American Heart Association created the Libraries with Heart initiative to provide access to blood pressure equipment because libraries are safe, convenient spaces that are accessible to all area residents. The goal of the program is to reach people in their communities and remove barriers to help them track and manage their blood pressure so they can live longer, healthier lives.

“We’re all about providing as many resources as we can to the public and especially when it comes to providing health-related resources to the community,” Preston Public Library Director Samantha Buley said. “We are a small community and it’s not easy to access health care when we are a distance from the bigger cities.” Buley previously worked in health care and is very aware of the dangers of high blood pressure and the necessity of monitoring it. She noted that sometimes people are asked by their doctors to monitor their blood pressure for a short time, so having kits available at the library will allow them to do so without having to purchase their own blood pressure cuff. “We are the only library in Fillmore County that we know of and one of several public libraries in southeastern Minnesota that offer this,” Buley said. “I’m excited to have it. It’s going to benefit so many of our patrons.”