Patient activation is a new term for a perennial problem. People know what they need to do for their health: exercise, eat right, and get enough rest--but how are they motivated to actually do these things? This is what patient activation is. From this author's vantage point as a medical librarian, public libraries are well-placed to be part of nationwide health initiatives to expand patient activation. Healthy People 2020 (www.healthy people.gov) is an initiative from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to improve public health. Healthy People 2020 has identified the lack of broadband access as a risk for health disparities. Patient activation is about people taking an active interest in their health, and the internet is where they can find the most current health information. HHS draws a correlation between internet-based information seeking and the status of people experiencing disease. Comparing statistics from the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS finds inverse relationships between internet use and the incidences of asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions. In order to make strides toward health literacy, libraries should be open for internet access, not only for the job seekers but also for the health seekers. Public librarians are playing a larger role in teaching people about easily accessible, quality health-related websites, and by assisting those who are searching for additional information. They feed the activation process by offering resources that help patients and family members be better prepared for their medical appointments.