Rural Library Competency Development Across a Two-Year Public Health Intervention in Oregon

This study examined how implementation of a public health program influenced project management competencies among rural public librarians. Eighteen librarians completed a competency self-assessment before and after leading walking groups over two years. Overall proficiency and domain-specific competencies changed modestly, with small positive shifts observed in policy/program planning and community dimensions of practice. Findings suggest that experiential learning approaches within library settings may support incremental competency development but are unlikely to build substantial capacity in isolation. Adapting established public health competency frameworks for library staff was feasible and highlighted opportunities to better align library administration, evaluation, and public health practice.