The Koprivnica public library Fran Galović has initiated a program of non-formal health education of citizens in collaboration with health care institutions: the Koprivnica Public hospital, the County institute of public health and the Health Care House.

Since 2008, during summer months, the program Health tips under library parasols has been gathering citizens with doctors and nurses under parasols on the terrace in front of the library building. The advantage of library location in the main city square within pedestrian area is used to attract a wider public for the healthcare issues.

The aim is to familiarize citizens with information on health issues and patients’ rights, and sensitize them to the need to change attitudes towards their own role in health protection. The message of such program is that health care should be an everyday habit, not just when we are sick. The library mediates these direct contacts with health professionals and citizens in the place quite different from health care institutions and health professionals’ working places, where they rarely find time for prevention and health education. The various, by health professionals and citizens suggested titles of topics of such non-formal health consultations, have been held once a week during summer months, July and August.