Public libraries as partners in addressing the opioid epidemic

Our team at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Public Health Initiatives CPHI has a longstanding commitment to expanding evidence-based health-related programming in public libraries. Opioid-related mortality in the United States has increased rapidly over the past decade, especially in Philadelphia, which has the highest overdose mortality rate among major U.S. cities. To mitigate the burden placed on public librarians who experience opioid overdoses on site, we are partnering with the Free Library of Philadelphia FLP and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health PDPH to deliver opioid awareness and harm reduction trainings to public librarians and patrons in Philadelphia. Building upon the success of our four-module Community Health Specialist training program, this project seeks to develop and test a fifth module on Opioid Harm Reduction. This module, which will be delivered in person at the South Philadelphia Library Branch Goal 1 and online Goal 2, will include active learning opportunities and an introduction to NLM resources to increase trainees' knowledge and self-efficacy regarding these important issues.