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Telehealth Booth at Central Library Provides Quiet Place for Video Meetings Telehealth Booth at Central Library Provides Quiet Place for Video Meetings

By Danyell Monk

White booth with map print covering glass in the middle of the Central Library.
© 2022 Danyell Monk

(ambience of people talking and working in library)

DANYELL MONK:
The Central Library in Syracuse has installed a telehealth booth that visitors can check out. Central Library Director, Rene Battelle says it was funded through an American Rescue Plan Act grant. The grant was received by the Central New York Library Resources Council.

RENE BATTELLE:
The asked us if we were interested in having a telehealth booth because they have them in other areas of the state.

MONK:
The booth was installed on the third floor of the library earlier this year.

BATTELLE:
Our job was just to kind of like make sure the technology was in place and help patrons use it.

MONK:
Library patrons can checkout the booth for two hour blocks. They can also borrow a laptop to use for video meetings. Even though the booth is marketed for telemedicine, people can use it for any video appointments they may have. In Syracuse, Danyell Monk , N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Central Library on South Salina Street has installed a telehealth booth for library patrons to use.

The booth is on the third floor of the library. It can be checked out for two-hour blocks for patrons to use. Central Library Manager Rene Battelle said that even though the booth is marketed toward being used for telehealth meetings, it can be used for any video meetings.

“It was thought of as a telemedicine thing but most of the people who use it use it for other types of appointments,” said Battelle.

Funding for the booth was provided through an American Restoration Plan Act (ARPA) grant. The Central New York Library Resources Council received the grant to assist with COVID-19 recovery.

Battelle said that the booth has not quite caught on yet but it does have about two to three users a week.

Battelle said that while she does not think that the role of libraries has changed in the post-pandemic, certain aspects and resources have become more important.

“The amount of people who just need access to computers and also need help using them has gone way up,” said Battelle.

Patrons now also have a need for more specific technology. People need to check out webcams and laptops to attend video meetings and fill out online paperwork.

Battelle says that in the coming months she hopes to see more visitors to the library. While the library is not getting the number of visitors as before the pandemic, visitor counts are rising every month.

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