First Steps

  • Creating a judgment-free zone in the library: meeting people where they are; breaking the stigma around SUD; 
  • ensuring that the organization is communicating the customer conduct policy or guidelines clearly so that visitors have access to what the expectations on behavior and actions are in the library spaces. Having a referral list at the ready for people in need of immediate resources when they cannot meet the expectations of being inside the library or on library property.
  • Defining harm reduction and creating ways to distribute lifesaving resources, providing accurate practical information on how to access the lifesaving resources through whatever ways are available to your customers.
  • Creating spaces that encourage recovery
  • Creating a team that can work together to create programs and/or services
  • Creating a culture where both people experiencing SUD and their families know that they can ‘meet at the library’ for resources
  • Analyzing the community: where does the library fit into the recovery space? 
  • Identifying barriers to implementing SUD programming in our library
  • Identifying partners
  • Tips for how librarians can start developing a list of in person recovery groups — include contacting agencies likely to already be making referrals or hosting group –  local hospital/ER, any national organizations that may have a state/local presence, find out who gets your state’s settlement funds for tobacco or opioids or any other funds for treatment and prevention and contact them, ask local corrections and police departments and any mental health safety net clinic or health safety net clinic (FQHC locations) for their referrals, and any providers for addiction treatment in the region (may need to look in a several county or several state region, treatment access can be quite limited.)