The critical role librarians play in the opioid crisis | Chera Kowalski

TL;DR

Librarians play a critical role in the opioid crisis by supporting affected communities, responding to overdoses, and using Narcan to save lives. At McPherson Square Library in Kensington, discarded-needle collections rose from 100 to more than 1,000 per month, prompting sharps containers, bathroom monitors, and new emergency responsibilities. Read on to see how Chera Kowalski and her colleagues adapted their library to this escalating crisis.

Transcript

When you walk into your neighborhood public library, you expect the librarian to help you find your next favorite book or some accurate information on a topic at interest. You don't probably expect the librarian to come running out from behind the reference desk with Narcan, ready to revive someone overdosing on heroin or fentanyl. But this is happ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏥 Libraries are not only places for books anymore; they are becoming community support centers, especially in areas affected by the opioid crisis.
• 👥 Public libraries in low-income communities are directly impacted by the drug trade and drug use, putting librarians and patrons in contact with addictive substances and drug-related incidents on a daily basis.
• 🔒 Libraries have had to implement safety measures such as sharps containers in restrooms and hiring bathroom monitors to address the drug-related issues they face.
• 📈 As the opioid epidemic grows, public libraries struggle to respond, with an increase in discarded needles, drug use in public spaces, and overdoses occurring both inside and outside the library.
• ❌ Witnessing overdoses can be traumatic, and the feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming, harkening back to the author's own childhood experiences growing up in an environment affected by substance use disorder.
• 💉 Public libraries are taking proactive steps to help their communities by providing Narcan training to staff, recognizing the need for access to life-saving tools in a community affected by the opioid crisis.
• 😢 Children in communities affected by the opioid crisis are confronted with a devastating "normal" where drug overdoses and drug use are part of their everyday lives.
• 💪 Public libraries serve as a lifeline and resource hub, working alongside the community to address the multifaceted challenges of the opioid epidemic and strive for a safer and healthier community.

Questions & Answers

Q: What role do librarians play in the opioid crisis?

Librarians in affected communities provide resources, monitor patrons’ safety, respond to overdoses, and administer Narcan. At McPherson Square Library, staff also manage discarded needles, public drug use, and the safety of children and other patrons.

Q: How did the opioid epidemic affect McPherson Square Library in Kensington?

Staff routinely encountered people visibly intoxicated on opioids, public drug use, discarded needles, and overdoses inside the library and surrounding park. The crisis increasingly diverted attention from daily library responsibilities toward restroom monitoring and emergency response.

Q: Why is McPherson Square Library especially affected by drug use?

The library is located in Kensington, one of Philadelphia’s lowest-income communities, which has been isolated from resources and opportunity. It sits in a park known as a place to find and use drugs, putting staff and residents in direct contact with the drug trade and drug use every day.

Q: How many discarded needles were collected around McPherson Square Library?

The monthly number collected by volunteer Teddy rose from 100 to 300, 500, 800, and eventually more than 1,000. Many were found on the library’s front steps and the playground.

Q: What safety measures did the library introduce in response to discarded needles?

After discarded needles clogged a toilet badly enough to close the library for two days, the administration approved a sharps container for the restroom. It also hired bathroom monitors because people were lingering in the restroom to use drugs.

Q: How did library staff respond to an overdose inside the building?

When staff found an unresponsive man in the public restroom, one person called 911, another escorted children and teens downstairs, and someone else flagged down the ambulance. Paramedics injected naloxone; the man revived, stood up, and walked out.

Q: Why did Chera Kowalski choose to work at McPherson Square Library?

When hired by the Free Library in 2013, Kowalski specifically chose McPherson because she understood growing up where substance use disorder shaped everyday life. She wanted those personal experiences to guide her work.

Q: What community services do public libraries provide beyond books?

Public libraries support communities by assisting with job searches, locating voter-rights resources, and providing free meals to children and teens. During an opioid and overdose crisis, that support can also include overdose response and access to life-saving tools such as Narcan.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Public libraries are facing new challenges due to the opioid epidemic, including responding to overdoses and providing resources for those affected.

• Libraries in low-income communities, such as the McPherson Square Library in Philadelphia, are particularly impacted by the drug trade and drug use.

• The library staff have had to adapt to this crisis by administering Narcan and providing support for the community, serving as a lifeline in the midst of the epidemic.