Celebrating Rural Health with NNLM

Posted by Carolyn Martin on October 28th, 2026 Posted in: Health Disparities, Health Observances, News from NNLM, Training & Education
Tags: National Health Observances, rural health, webinar

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the rural population of the United States reached 46.2 million in 2024. This represents 13.6 percent of the total U.S. population. Of the seven regions of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), our Region 5 encompasses the largest land mass with a large part of the region designated as rural or frontier.

How do you know if your area is considered rural? Defining rural can be complex and takes into consideration a number of factors. One of the best places to help know if your location is considered rural is to visit the Rural Health Information Hub’s Am I Rural? Tool.

November 19 is National Rural Health Day, a day to celebrate the “Power of Rural”. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) designates the third Thursday of November as a day to highlight the unique health challenges faced by those in rural areas and to celebrate the resilience of rural communities and recognize the efforts of healthcare work force. Learn more about this health observance and how you can participate by visiting the NOSORH Power of Rural website.

Rural Health Webinar Series 2026

NNLM is also celebrating the “Power of Rural” and is offering several webinars focusing on rural health during the month of November. All sessions of the Rural Health Webinar Series November 2026 are free, come with Medical Library Association CE credits, and they will be recorded. We invite you to register and spread the word about these upcoming events.

Rural Health, Libraries, and Alaska: Perspectives from the Far North
When: November 4,11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Alaska’s unique barriers to the delivery of health information.
• Discuss strategies that rural libraries and communities can use to distribute health information.
• Design a plan to support your community’s rural health information needs.

Mapping Hope: Understanding Diseases of Despair and Strengthening Recovery Ecosystems in Appalachia
When: November 10, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss factors present in strong rural recovery ecosystems
• Describe the recovery ecosystem index and how to use the mapping tool

Pathways to Wellbeing: How Libraries are Addressing Rural Health Needs in their Communities
When: November 17, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Learning Objectives:

• Identify strategies libraries are using to address health information needs in rural communities.
• Describe opportunities for partnerships and outreach that can strengthen rural health initiatives.
• Recognize approaches and resources that may be adapted to support rural health needs in their own communities.

Small Towns, Big Gaps: The State of Rural Oral Health
When: November 18, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Learning Objectives:

• Describe disparities in oral health access and dental disease in rural communities in the U.S.
• Explain the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program and how some states are using this funding to improve oral health in rural communities
• Identify innovative practices rural dentists are adopting to reach patients who are most in need
• Locate state and local resources to support families as they seek dental care and optimize their oral health

Rural Health Resources
When: November 19, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Learning Objectives:

• Describe current demographic trends in rural America.
• Explore data sets and visualizations from rural health resources.
• Locate information on health conditions, demographic groups and social issues.

NNLM Resources

NNLM Reading Club offers books, discussion guides, and supporting materials to help bring resources to you and your community. Reading Club Topic—Rural Health

Find links to trusted resources from NLM and partners on the NNLM Rural Health Resource Guide.