Guidelines around Programming in the Recovery Space

1) Start with principles: equity, privacy, safety, and trauma-informed practice

  • Equitable access & neutrality. Library programs and spaces must be offered on an equitable basis regardless of beliefs or affiliations. Build your program and meeting-room policies to reflect the Library Bill of Rights and ALA’s guidance on meeting rooms and library-initiated programs. American Library Association
  • Patron privacy. Treat participation lists, referrals, and program feedback as sensitive data. Follow ALA’s Privacy Toolkit and checklists when using sign-ups, third-party platforms, analytics, and room-use logs. Don’t collect more than you need; default to opt-in. American Library Association
  • Trauma-informed approach. Train staff and design programs around SAMHSA’s six principles: safety; trust & transparency; peer support; collaboration & mutuality; empowerment/voice/choice; cultural, historical & gender humility. Reflect these in room setup, facilitation norms, and communications. SAMHSA Library

2) Co-design with experts: peers, public health, and recovery partners

  • Partner early. Successful library responses to the opioid crisis paired librarians with health departments, harm-reduction groups, hospitals, and recovery community organizations. Use OCLC/WebJunction/PLA’s case studies and support kit as a blueprint for roles, MOUs, outreach, and evaluation. OCLC & American Library Association
  • Include peer support workers. Peer specialists extend reach, reduce stigma, and improve engagement. Align roles with SAMHSA’s peer support guidance and core competencies; if you host peer-led groups, reflect this in job/volunteer descriptions and supervision. SAMHSA

3) Language & messaging that reduce stigma

  • Use person-first, recovery-oriented language in flyers, intros, and press. Replace labels (“addict,” “abuser”) with “person with a substance use disorder”; emphasize recovery as possible and common. Share a simple “Words Matter” table with staff and partners. National Institute on Drug Abuse

4) Program formats that work in libraries

  • Low-barrier, high-dignity offerings observed across public libraries include: community forums with health partners; drop-in resource tables; peer-led support groups; naloxone trainings with public health; “recovery-ready” collections and displays; and pathways to treatment and housing supports. Expect variable attendance; several libraries reported cancellations until trust and word-of-mouth built up. OCLC
  • Meeting rooms and outside groups. If you allow public use, apply policies consistently and content-neutral; publish how rooms are scheduled, what data you collect, and your code of conduct. Consult ALA interpretations and Q&A to calibrate neutrality, sponsorship, and behavior rules. American Library Association

5) Safety planning, overdose response, and local law checks

  • Coordinate with public health on on-site trainings, response protocols, and signage. Research shows bystander-administered naloxone is safe and effective; if your jurisdiction and board permit stocking it, integrate into staff safety plans and refreshers. (Moustaqim-Barrette et. al., 2021).
  • Good Samaritan/Naloxone laws vary by state. Work with city/county counsel or health dept and consult authoritative legal maps (PDAPS; Network for Public Health Law; LAPPA) before implementing overdose response or distributing supplies. Network for Public Health Law
  • Environmental & operations realities. Libraries have faced contamination closures and complex safety tradeoffs; build proactive cleaning, restroom monitoring, and vendor plans alongside compassionate service and outreach.

6) Staff preparation & care

  • Multi-tier training. Start with trauma-informed service; add de-escalation, culturally responsive practice, stigma-free communication, and referral pathways. Use SAMHSA’s Evidence-Based Practices Center for vetted resources; document competencies. SAMHSA
  • Normalize debriefs. Recovery-adjacent work can be emotionally heavy; schedule brief post-program huddles, set up EAP/peer support for staff, and rotate duties.

7) Inclusion, access, and cultural humility

  • Design for different audiences. Offer women-only, men-only, and all-gender spaces as appropriate; youth/young-adult friendly times; and sensory-considerate rooms. Co-create with local RCOs and peer leaders to ensure cultural fit. (See OCLC/PLA case libraries for models.) OCLC

8) Communications & outreach

  • Tell recovery-positive stories (with consent) and share practical entry points (helplines, calendars, rides, childcare notes). Use cross-promotion via city/county partners; case studies show civic amplification boosts reach and legitimacy. OCLC
  • Collections as program companions. Recovery-focused book giveaways and multilingual materials can be part of a program strategy and have been piloted in major cities.

9) Measurement & learning

  • Right-size evaluation. Track outputs that don’t compromise privacy (attendance bands, resource uptake, referrals made, post-session “was this helpful?” dots), plus qualitative stories from partners. OCLC case studies flag that programs often start small; iterate with partners and adjust formats/time slots. OCLC

Quick “Recovery-Ready Program” Checklist (adapt or paste into policy)

  1. Policy alignment confirmed (meeting rooms, privacy, code of conduct). American Library Association
  2. Partner(s) secured with roles/MOU (public health, RCO, peer org). OCLC
  3. Staff trained (trauma-informed, stigma-free language, referrals). SAMHSA
  4. Safety plan in place (when to call EMS; naloxone protocol if applicable; incident debrief). (Moustaqim-Barrette et al., 2021)
  5. Communications vetted for person-first language and clear logistics. National Institute on Drug Abuse
  6. Data-minimization & privacy practices set for registration/feedback. American Library Association
  7. Evaluation approach chosen (no PII; share-outs with partners). OCLC

References

  • ALA. Library Bill of Rights; Meeting Rooms interpretation; Programming guidance; Privacy Toolkit & Checklists. American Library Association
  • Feuerstein-Simon, R., Lowenstein, M., Dupuis, R., Dolan, A., Marti, X. L., Harvey, A., … & Cannuscio, C. C. (2022). Substance use and overdose in public libraries: Results from a five-state survey in the US. Journal of community health, 47(2), 344-350.
  • Law & policy (confirm locally before acting). PDAPS state maps (Good Samaritan; naloxone protections); Network for Public Health Law summaries. pdaps.org
  • Moustaqim-Barrette, A., Papamihali, K., Williams, S., Ferguson, M., Moe, J., Purssell, R., & Buxton, J. A. (2021). Adverse events related to bystander naloxone administration in cases of suspected opioid overdose in British Columbia: an observational study. PLoS One, 16(10), e0259126.
  • NIDA/NIH & ASAM. “Words Matter” language guidance for talking about addiction (stigma-reducing, person-first). National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • OCLC / WebJunction / PLA: Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis with Their Communities (report + case studies + support kit). OCLC
  • PLA (ALA). Opioid Crisis Response portal (links to training and tools). American Library Association
  • SAMHSA. Trauma-Informed approach (six principles); Peer Support workers & core competencies; Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center. SAMHSA