Nashville had committed volunteers, a supportive Mayor, and many government and non-profit agencies who came together with the desire to enroll as many people as possible in the Marketplace. However, there was no single entity that was spread across the city, with reliable/secure public computers for volunteers and Navigators to work with people during the six-month period for health care insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act. The Library stepped up and offered to be the place for that collaborative effort. Because the community knows all locations of Nashville Public Library are both trusted sources of information and established centers of community life, it was a natural fit.

Nashville Public Library was at the table as a partner from the initial meeting with the Mayor. We helped to gather information and organize information session for volunteers. Library personnel participated in Get Covered TN meetings and in volunteer training in order to understand the enrollment process. We determined the best library locations for enrollment events based on community, coordinated and scheduled the sessions. We arranged for access to library computers, laptops and printers for enrollment use. The library website and social properties were used to promote the sessions and we provided posters and handouts to the public. The volunteers, supporting the paid Navigators, determined if each person was qualified for the Marketplace, helped to determine the best plan if eligible and referred people to other agencies if not.

ACA Enrollment Partners:

• Get Covered TN
• Baptist Healing Trust
• HCA Foundation
• Family & Children’s Service
• Tennessee Health Care Campaign
• Tennessee Primary Care Association
• Seedco
• Enroll America
• Office of Nashville Mayor Karl Dean
• Metro Nashville Public Schools
• Tennessee Justice Center
• Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, Inc.
• United Neighborhood Health Services
• University Community Health Services
• Metro Department of Public Health
• Nashville Public Library
• Volunteers with Enroll America, Get Covered TN, TN Justice Center & TN Health Care Campaign

Working with our 15 community partners, NPL hosted 230 enrollment sessions. 30 trained volunteers worked with approximately 1,200 people from the community on the enrollment process. Regarding lessons learned, we learned quickly that we had to be able to react swiftly to the needs of our volunteers and enrollees as things changed. For instance, we initially identified 6 of our branches that serve a high concentration of the working poor. In each of these locations, however, the same people tend to use the branches every day, and most of them live within walking distance. Therefore, after a week or so, no new patrons attended. Surprisingly, it was the branch in our most affluent neighborhood that attracted the most attendees. We also learned that most volunteers did not want to work the hours when the enrollees would need the most help. It was very difficult to find volunteers to work evenings and weekends, which were the times that the working poor were most available to attend. Further, Nashville Public Library extended operating hours during the last day of open enrollment to ensure that as many Nashvillians as possible could get enrolled.